■'fp^ 


\\     ^\.^ 


VALUABLE 


SECRETS 


IN 


ARTS,  TRADES,  &c, 


SELECfiD  FROM  THE  BEST  AUTHORS. 


XSB 


ADAPTED 


TO  THE  SITUATION  OF  THE 


UNITED  STATES. 


Hce  tibi  erunt  Artes  !     Virg, 

-    .iT' 


NEW- YORK : 

I'UBLISHED  BY  EVERT  DUYCKINCK, 

NO.  102  PEARL^TREET. 

G.  Lon^f  print. 


1816. 


District  op  New-York,  ss.    Be  it  Remembered,  that  on  the  fifth 
day  of  October,  in  the  thirty -fourth  year  of  the  Inde- 
pendence of  the  United   States  of  America,  Evert 
L.  S.        Duyckinck,  of  the  said  District,  hath  deposited  in  this 
office  tlie  title  of  a  Book,  the  right  whereof  he  claims 
as  Proprietor,  in  the  words  following,  to  wit : 
"  Valuable  Secrets  in  Arts,  Trades,  &c.  selected  from  the  best 
"  authors,  and  adapted  to  the  situation  of  the  United  States. 
«  Hse  tibi  erunt  Artes  ! — Virg." 
In  conformity  to  the  Act  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States, 
entitled,  "  An  act  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  by  securing 
**  the  copies  of  Maps,  -harts  and  Books,  to  the  authors  and  pro- 
*<  prietors,  of  such  copies,  during  the  time  therein  mentioned,  and 
**  also  to  an  act  entitled  an  act  supplementary  to  an  act  entitled  an 
"  act  for  the  encouragement  of  learning  by  securing  the  copies  of 
•'  Maps,  Charts  and  Books,  to  the  authors  and  proprietors  of  such 
"  copies,  during  the  time  therein  mentioned,   and  extending  the 
**  benefits  thereof  to  the  arts  of  designing,  engraving  and  etching 
"  historical  and  other  prints." 

CHARLES  CLINTON. 
Clerk  of  the  District  of  JVetv-York- 


THE  EDITOR'S  PREFACE. 


THE  Arts  cannot  attain  a  higher  degree  of  perfec- 
tion  till  more  exact  enquiries  are  made  concern- 
ing every  thing  which  can  contribute  towards  facilita- 
ting their  progress.  It  ought,  therefore,  to  be  the 
study  of  every  individual  to  diffuse  his  observations, 
and  extend  his  researches  in  a  country  where  he  can 
claim  a  liberal  encouragement  for  new  discoveries ; 
and  where  every  work  which  tends  to  the  promulga- 
tion of  arts  in  general,  meetii  with  ample  reward. 

Anjong  those  friends  of  the  sciences  who  discharge 
their  duty  in  the  most  becoming  manner,  the  Ameri- 
can artists,  and  prolessed  mechanics,  are,  undoubedly 
entitled  to  the  first  rank,as  their  experiments  and  pro- 
ductions are  of  evident,  and  real  utility  to  their  coun- 
try. 

It  is  but  of  a  late  date  since  those  arts  and  trades 
"which  constitute  the  wealth  and  commerce  of  the  Eu- 
ropean Nations,  began  to  receive  the  encouragement 
and  support  of  the  citizens  of  the  United  States,  and 
to  increase  their  lustre,  their  ceconomical  order,  and 
their  regular  and  necessary  discribuiion  in  this  rising 
empire 

The  present  work  is  a  faithful  compilation  of  va- 
rious secrets  in  the  refined  arts  and  trades  ;  discove- 
ries no  way  unworthy  the  attention  of  Americans. 

The  an  of  Engraving,  yet  in  its  infant  state  here, 
will,  if  not  very  materially  benefited,  at  least  be  set- 
tled upon  a  more  permanent  basis,by  a  due  observation 
of  the  directions  and  receipts  contained  in  this  volume. 

The  various  combinations  and  compositions  of 
metals  j  the  art  of  Varnishing,  of  making  mastiches 
and  cementations  :  curiosities  in  glass  and  precious 
stones ;  tne  mixture  of  colours  in  painting  ;  ihe  art 
of  gilding  ;  dying  wood,  ivoiy,  Sec  though  seemingly 
of  little  importance  at  the  first  view,  will  be  found 
useful  if  not  absolutely  necessary,  towards  facilita^ 
ting  the  progress  of  those  arts 'in  the  United  States^ 


IV  THE  EDITOR'S  PREFACE. 

\vhere  it  is  hoped  that  taste  and  elegance  will  claim 
a  proportionable  share  of  the  public's  attention  and 
encouragenient. 

Oiher  matters  are  added,  useful  to  those  who  wish 
to  be  easily  accommodated  with  the  polite  and  useful 
necessaries  of  a  frugal  life.  They  are  intended  chiefly 
for  those  who  have  had  few  opportunities  to  learn  the 
proper  methods  of  making  the  best  use  in  art,  of  those 
things  which  nature  profusely  lavishes  for  the  pro- 
motion and  increase  of  domestic  felicity. 

Many  of  the  following  secrets  and  receipts  are  de- 
rived from  the  works  of  the  first  artists  in  France, 
Italy,  Germany,  and  Great-Britain  ;  and  the  labours 
of  several  eminent  artists  here  have  given  great  assis- 
tance towards  rendering  them  easily  to  be  understood 
by  the  most  common  capacity,  and  more  extensively 
useful  to  the  infant  manufactories  of  the  United 
States. 

That  the  work  might  not  be  altogether  uninterest- 
ing to  that  great  portion  of  the  people  of  the  United 
States  which  constitute  the  agricultural  part,  many 
and  valuable  essays  on  agriculture,  rusal  and  domestic 
economy  are  added,  chiefly  selected  from  American 
works  of  known  and  acknowledged  estimation  and 
value. 

In  the  confidence  that  the  American  public  will  al- 
ways be  ready  to  give  proper  encouragement  and 
support  to  every  work  intended  to  promote  the  true 
interest  and  lasting  good  of  the  United  States,  this 
work  is,  without  further  preface,  submitted  to  his 
fellow-citizens,  by  THE  EDITOR. 


SECRETS 


IN 


ARTS,  TRADES,  kc. 


CHAP.  I.  V 

SECRETS  RELATIVE   TO  THE  ART  OF  ENGRAVING. 
I.  j1  wax  to  lay  on  iron  tr  steel. 

TAKE  the  bulk  of  a  nut  of  white  wax,  melt  it,  and 
add  to  it  the  size  of  a  nnusket  ball  of  ceruse  of 
Venice. — When  both  are  incorporated,  form  this  com- 
position into  small  sticks.  With  them  rub  your  piece  of 
steel,  or  iron,  after  having  previously  warmed  it  suffi- 
ciently to  melt  the  wax,  which  spread  well  over  it  with 
a  feather.  When  the  wax  is  cold,  trace  whatever  you 
will  on  it,  and  pass  afterwards,  on  the  lines  you  have 
drawn,  the  following  water. 

XL  ji  mordant  water  to  engrave  on  steel. 

1.  Take  the  strongest  verjuice  you  can  find  ;  alum 
in  powder,  and  a  little  dried  salt,  pulverised.  Mix  all  to- 
gether till  perfectly  disolved  :  then  pass  some  of  that  wa- 
ter on  the  lines  of  your  drawing,  repeating  the  same  till  it 
is  sufficiently  deep  engraved. 

2  Or  else  take  verdigrease,  strong  vinegar,  ammoniac 
and  common  salts,  and  copperas,  equal  parts.  Set  all  to- 
gether a  boiling  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  ;  then  stram  it 
through  a  rag,  and  run  some  of  that  water  on  your  plate. 
In  about  half  an  hour  afterwards  it  will  be  perfectly  en- 
graved. 

3-  Callot's  varnish,  of  which  the  composition  shall 
b^  found  hereafter,  in  the  Chafiter  on  Varnishes^  is  an  ad- 
mirable composition  to  lay  on  the  plate  you  propose  to 
-fin  grave. 

B 


6  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c. 

Ill-  To  engrave  ivith  aquafortia,  so  that  the  work  may  aji' 
pear  like  a  basso  relievo. 

Take  equal  parts  of  vermillion  and  black  lead,  two 
or  three  grains  of  mastich,  in  drops.  Grind  thenn  all  to- 
gether, on  marble,  with  lintseed  oil ;  then  put  this  com- 
position into  a  shell.  Next  to  this  operation,  cut  some 
soft  quills,  and  let  your  steel  or  iron  be  well  polished. 
Try  Hrst  whether  your  colour  runs  sufficiently  with  your 
pens  ;  and  if  it  should  not,  you  must  add  a  little  more  oil 
to  it,  so  as  to  have  your  pen  mark  freely  with  it,  as  if  vou 
were  writing  with  ink  on  paper.  Then  rub  well  your 
plate  of  steel  with  wood  ashes,  to  clean  and  ungrease  it  ; 
after  which  wipe  it  with  a  clean  rag,  and  draw  your  design 
upon  it  with  your  pen,  prepared  as  before,and  dipped  into 
your  liquor.  If  you  want  to  draw  birds,  or  oth^r  animals, 
you  must  only  draw  the  outlines  of  them  with  your  pen, 
then  fill  up  the  inside  of  those  lines  with  a  hair  pencil  ; 
that  is  to  say,  you  will  cover  all  the  space  contained  be- 
tween the  first  outlines  drawn  with  the  pen,  the  same  co- 
lour, which  you  wilf  lay  with  a  brush  to  preserve  all  that 
pare  against  the  mordacity  of  the  aquafortis.  When  that 
is  done,  let  your  v;ork  dry  for  a  day  or  two;  and  when 
dried,  take  some  fire  made  with  charcoal  into  a  chafing 
dish,  and  bake  over  it  your  colour  by  degrees  till  it 
becomes  quite  brown.  Take  care  notwithstanding  not  to 
burn  it,  tor  fear  you  should  scale  it  when  you  come  to 
scratch,  with  the  point  of  a  needle,  those  etchings,  or 
places,  whi^h  you  want  to  be  engraved  with  the  fol-^ 
lowing  aquafortis. 

IV.  Aquajortis for  engraving. 

Take  verdigrease,  roch  alum,  Roman  vitriol,  and  com- 
ir.on  salt  of  each  three  ounces ;  pound  it  into  a  very  fine 
powder.  Have  a  new  pipkin,  put  a  little  more  than  a 
quart  of  water,  and  your  drugs,  all  together.  Let  them 
thus  infuse  a  couple  of  hours;  then  place  them  over  a 
charcoal,  fire  and  when  the  water  has  a  little  simmered, 
take  the  pot  from  ofTt'ne  fire  and  let  it  cool,  that  you  may 
dip  your  hand  in  without  scalding.  Then  have  an  ear- 
thern  cup,  with  which  vou  take  off  that  water,  and  pour  it 
over  the  work  you  mean  to  engrave ;  so  that  it  may  run 
freely  over  all  the  places  which  are  to  be  marked,  and 
then  off  into  a  pan  placed  under  to  receive  it.  Con- 
tinue thus  to  water  yoiir  works  for  three  quarters  of 
an  hour.  Then  vou  will  pour  upon  it  clear  pump  wa- 
ter, to  wash  off  the  mud  whicli  the  aq».afortis  shall 
have    occasioned.    You    are   then  to  try  with  a   nee- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  See.  7 

die  the  depth  of  the  lines  of  your  engraving  and,  if  not  at 
your  liking,  you  nnust  begin  again  watering  it  as  before. 
The  only  cave  you  are  to  have  is,  that  your  liquor  should 
not  be  too  warnfi  ;  for  then  it  would  spoil  the  work.  It  is 
better  to  use  it  lukewarm  only,  and  be  longer  at  it. 

V.  To  engrave  on  brasSy  or  copjier,  ivUh  aquafortis- 

You  must  put  in  your  colour  more  mastich  in  drops,  and 
bake  it  also  rather  more  over  the  fire  after  it  is  laid  on  vour 
plate,  so  that  it  should  almost  turn  black.  And  it  it  be  a 
flat  work,  as  generally  are  alh'th^se  on  copper  pintles,  you 
must  raise  around  it  a  border  of  wax  to  prevent  the  aqua- 
fortis, which  you  are  to  pour  on  it,  frorr  running  off,  and 
which  is  to  be  a  separating  aquafortis,  with  wh'ch  you  cover 
the  plate  to  the  tliickness  of  a  crowrr piece,  ^f^er  it  has 
been  tluis  left  covered  with  that  aquafortis  fc»r  a  ilttle  while, 
this  becoAies  green  ;  then  is  the  time  to  throw  it  away,  and 
to  pour  in  its  place  some  pump  water  ;  when  you  will  ex- 
amine whether  the  lines  be  sufficieiuly  deep  or  not.  If  not, 
pour  again  fr^-sh  aq\iafortis  on  your  plate,  and  thus  you  ob- 
tain your  works  of  basso-relievo  bv  contrary  :  that  is  to  say 
raised  grounds.     You  may  thus  engrave  all  sorts  of  works- 

VI.   To  engrave  firints  by  aquafortis. 

Take  soine  ceruse  ;  grind  it  well  with  clear  pump  water, 
and  size  it  with  isinglass.  Lay  this  composition  with  a 
coarse  brush,  orpencl,  ori  the  plate  which  \ou  Mant  to 
engvave  When  it  is  dry,  draw  on  it  whatever  design  you 
please  Or,  if  you  want  to  counteri'roof  a  copprr-plate 
print,  blacken  all  the  back  of  your  print,  and  placing  that 
blackened  part  on  your  plate,  prepared  as  befor^j.^  over 
all  the  str  kes  of  your  print,  with  a  smooth  ivory  or  wood- 
en point,  which  will  stamp  the  black  of  the  print,  in  all 
those  places,  on  the  plate  Then  yon  u  ill  go  a.i^ain  over  all 
the  black  strokes  which  are  laid  on  vour  plate,  with  a  pen 
and  ink  ;  and  taking  afterwards  a  steel  ])oint,  ver\  fire  and 
well  tempered,  you  will  etch  your  plate  with  it,  in  fuUow- 
hig  all  the  strokes  marked  on  it,  and  pour  aquafortis,  as 
before  directed. 

VII.  The  method  of  engraving  with  aquafortis. 

1.  You  must  have  a  very  well  polished  plate,  and  per- 

.  fectlv  clean.     Set  it  to  warm  over  a  chafing  dish,  in  which 

there  is  a  charcoal  fire.  W  hile  on  it  cover  it  with  a  vai  nish, 


8  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

either  dry  or  liquid,  for  there  are  two  sorts.  Then  yoa 
blacken  that  varnish  with  the  flame  of  a  candle,  over 
•which  you  pass  and  repass  the  plate  on  the  varnished  side 
2.  This  being  done,  you  have  no  more  to  do  than  to 
chalk  your  design  on  that  plate,  which  is  infinitely  more 
easy  than  to  engrave  with  the  graver.  For  if  you  rub  the 
back  part  of  your  drawing  with  some  sanguine  stone  (red 
chalk)  or  any  thing  else,  and  lay  it  afterwards  on  your 
plate,  to  trace  it  with  a  point,  the  sanguine  which  is  on  the 
back  ofihedraugTit  will  easily  set  off  on  tlie  varnish.  So  that 
you  may  follow  afterwards  al'l  the  lines  of  the  design.and  be 
infinitely  more  correct  ig  all. the  turns,  and  the  expression 
of  the  figures.  This  is  the  reason  why  all  the  painters  who 
have  their  own  works  engraved,  take  the  trouble  of  draw- 
ing also  the  outlines  of  their  figures.that  the  spirit  and  beau- 
ty of  the  design  m ay  Jbe  preserved.  Indeed  it  must  be  con- 
fessed, that  we  always  discover  a  great  deal  more  art  in 
those  pieces  which  are  engraved  witn  aquaiortis,^ian  there 
is  found  in  them  that  are  done  by  the  graver.  And,  even 
in  many  of  these,  theaquafortis  is  often  employed  to  sketch 
lightly  the  contours,  or  outlines  of  the  figures,  and  to  have 
them  nr>ore  correct 

3.  True  it  is,  that  it  is  sometimes  found  necessary  to 
touch  a  little  over  with  the  graver,  certain  parts  which  are 
n  t  strong  enough,  or  that  the  aquafortis  has  not  eaten  in 
sufficientiv.  For  it  is  not  easy,  in  a  great  plate,  to  get  all 
the  se\  eral  parts  so  proportionably,  ax\6  a propoa ,  eaten  in, 
as  there  should  be  nothing  to  find  fault  with. 

4.  It  is  not  enoujih  for  an  engraver  to  woik  with  the 
point  of  his  needle,  or  }-cooper,.in  all  the  difFert  nt  places  of 
his  work,  with  thr  strength  and  delicacy  rectssary  to 
make  appear,  as  he  wants  'hem  to  be.  the  most  remote  and 
nearest  parts  It  is  again  requisite  that  he  should  take 
care,  whf  n  he  conies  to  put  the  aquafortis  on  his  plate,  it 
shduld  not  bite  equallv  everv  where.  This  is  prev-  nted  as 
follows,  by  a  mixture  of  oil  and  tallow,  which  you  will  drop 
into  it  from  a  lighted  candle 

5.  To  this  effect  he  must  have  a  framed  wooden  board, 
overlaid  with  wax.  on  which  he  fixes  his  piate  a  little  slant 
way,  then  pours  aquafortis  on  it,  so  that  it  may  only  pass 
over  it,  and  run  loto  an  eaahen  pan,  placed  under  to  re- 
ceive it.  Therefore  he  takes  car*-  to  examine  when  those 
p  rts.  which  an  not  to  be  sodeeplv  eaten  in,  have  received 
a  suffi'iei.t  quantity  of  aquafortis;  in  which  case,  taking  off 
his  plate,  he  washes  it  with  pump  water,  by  pouring  it  only 
over,  drif'S  it  gently  before  the  fire,  then  covers  the  most  re- 
mote parts,  and  them  which  he  wants  to  preserve  weakest, 
with  the  abovementioned  niixture  of  oil  and  tallow,  that 
the  aquafortis  should  not  act  any  more  on  these  places.— 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  8cc.  9 

Thus,  covering  at  several  times,  and  as  much  as  he  plea- 
ses.such  places  of  his  plate  as  he  wants  to  keep  not  so  strong 
as  others,  it  results  that  the  figures  which  are  forwards  in 
the  picture,  are  constantly  every  time  washed  with  the 
aquafortis  which  eats  in  them,  till_  he  sees  they  are  suffi- 
ciently engraved,  and  according  to  the -degree' of  strength 
which  he  is  desirous  of  giving  them. 

6.  That  sort  of  aquafortis  we  have  mentioned  and  de- 
scribed ill  this  chapter,. at  the  article  of  the  Kvaterfor  en- 
graving on  iron,  and  which  is  composed  with  verdigrease, 
vinegar,  common  and  ammoniac  salts  and  copperas,  is 
also  made  use  of  to  engrave  on  copper,  in  pouring  it  on 
the  plates,  covered  either  with  hard  or  soft  varnish,  and 
scratched,  or  etched,  agreeably  to  the  design  you  iniend 
to  engrave  on  them. 

7  As  lor  what  concerns  the  refiner's  aquafortis,  com- 
monly called  "Af/iUe  nvater,  it  is  never  used  but  upon  the 
soft  varnish,  and  never  as  the  former,  which  is  called 
green  water,  by  pounng  it  only  over  the  plate,  and  letting 
it  run  off  into  a  pan  under  it.  A  border  of  wax  must  be 
made  round  the  plate,  on  which  this  being  laid  flat  upon 
a  table,  some  of  that  iv/iUe  water  is  poured,  after  having 
previously  tempered  it  more  or  less  with  a  proportionable 
quantity  of  common  water,  which  is  ca,\lQd  Jiickling. 

"VIII.  To  engrave  on  wood. 

You  begin  by  preparing  a  board,  according  to  the  size 
and  thickness  you  want  it,  and  finely  polished  on  the  side 
it  is  to  b.e  engraved.  The  sort  of  wood  which  is  generally 
chosen  for  such  a  purpose,  is  either  pear  tree  or  box. 
And  of  the  two,  this  last  is  even  still  preferable,  both  on 
account  of  its  being  of  a  superior  hardness,  and  also  less 
liable  to  be  worm  eaten.  On  that  board  you  driiw  first 
your  design,  such  as  you  want  it  to  appear  in  printing. 
They  who  have  not  the  talent  of  drawing,  as  there  are 
a  great  number  who  make  use  of  the  very  drawing  you 
give  them,  which  they  paste  on  their  board,  by  their  right 
side,  with  a  paste  made  of  good  flour,  water,  and  a  little 
vinegar.  You  must  take  care  that  all  the  strokes  of  the 
drawing  should  touch  well,  and  stick  on  the  wood;  and 
•when  the  paper  is  very  dry,  wet  it  gently,  and  with  the 
tip  of  your  finger  rub  it  off  by  degrees,  so' that  the  strokes 
only  of  the  drawing  should  remain  on  your  board,  as  if 
you  had  drawn  it  with  ink  and  a  pen.  These  strokes  or 
lines  shew  all  that  you  are  to  spare  or  preserve  ;  all  the 
rest  you  are  to  cut  off  and  sink  down  with  delicacy,  by 
means  of  a  sharp  and  well  tempered  penknife,  small 
B  2 


10  SECRETS  IN  ARTS.  TRADES,  &c. 

chissel,  or  gouet,  according  to  the  size  and  delicacy  of 
the  work,  lor  you  have  no  need  of  any  other  tool. 

IX,  To  engrave  on  cofijier  mth  the  graver. 

1.  When  the  plate,  which  is  to  be  of  red  copper,  is 
well  polished,  you  draw  your  design  on  it  with  either  the 
black  lead  stone  or  a  steel  point-  When  that  is  done  you 
have  no  further  need  of  any  thing  but  a  sharp  and  well 
tempered  graver  to  cut  in,  and  give  more  or  less  strength 
to  certain  parts,  according  to  the  subject,  and  the  fine 
figures  you  execute. 

2  You  must  also  have  a  certain  tool  of  six  inches  long, 
or  thereabouts,  one  of  the  ends  of  which,  called  a  scraper, 
is  made  in  the  form  of  a  triangle,  sharp  on  each  edge,  with 
which  you  scrape  on  the  copper  when  you  want  it.  The 
other  end  called  a  burnisher,  has  very  much  the  shape 
©f  a  fowl's  heart,  a  httle  prolonged  by  the  point,  round  and 
slender  This  serves  to  polish  the  copper,  to  mend 
the  faults,  and  soften  the  strokes, 

3.  In  order  to  form  a  better  judgment  of  your  work, 
you  HRust  now  and  then  as  you  proceed  on,  make  use  of  a 
stump  made  with  thg  piece  ot  an  old  hat  rolled  up  and 
blackened}  with  which  you  rub  your  plate,  on  the  place 
you  are  working,  which  fills  the  strokes  with  black,  and 
makes  you  see  better  the  effect  of  your  work  as  you  go. 
You  must  be  provided  likewise  with  a  leather  cushionj  ob 
"Which  you  lay  your  plate  while  you  engrave  it. 


[11] 

GHAP.  II. 
SECRETS  RELATIVE  TO  METALS. 

1.  Transmutation  of  iron  into  the  finest  German  steel 


1  fllAKE  clean  soot  one  pound ;  oak  wood  ashes 
JL  twelve  ounces,  and  tour  ot  pounded  garlics-  Boil 
all  together  in  twelve  pounds  of  comnion  water,  red^iced 
to  four  pounds.  Strain  this,  and  dip  in  it  the  iron  pegs, 
which  you  will  afterwards  stratify  with  the  following  ce- 
ment. 

2.  Take  burnt  wood  coals,  otherwise  called  cokes,  and 
quick  lime,  ot  each'three  pounds ;  soot  dried,  and  calcinat- 
ed in  an  iron  pan,  one  pound  ;  decripitate  salt  four  ouixes. 
Make  of  this  and  your  iron  several  beds  alternately,  one 
over  another  ;  and  having  well  luted  the  vessel  in  which 
you  shall  have  made  those  beds  of  iron  and  cenient,  give 
them  a  reverberating  fire,  for  three  times  twenty-four 
hours,  and  the  operation  is  done. 

IL  I'o  refine  Pewter. 

Take  tine  Pewter,  melt  it  in  a  crucible.  When  done, 
project  over  it  at  several  times  some  nitre  till  you  see  it 
calcined.  Then  pound  it  into  powder,  and  njix  it  with 
an  equal  quantity  of  charcoal  pulverized  very  fine.  It  in 
this  condition  you  melt  it  again,  it  wiU  resume  its  form  of 
pewter,  only  refined  in  a  much  superior  degree. 

III.  Method  of  tempering  edge-tools  that  are  of  too  briU 
tie  a  quality. 

Plunge  them  in  boiling  fat  for  two  hours  then  take  them, 
out,  and  let  them  cool  gradually.  They  will  retain  their 
hardness  witkout  being  brittle. 

IV.  To  make  Pewter, 

Melt  together  1  cwt.  Tin,  15  lb  Lead,  and  6  lb.  Brass, 
the  whole  forms  what  is  called  pewter, 

V.  To  make  fiinchbeck. 

Melt  one  pound  of  zinc,  -with  five  or  six  pounds  of  cop* 


12  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Ice. 

per  ;  the  purer  these  metals,   the  more  malleable  the 
pinchbeck.     Its  colour  niVich  resembles  gold. 

VI.  On  Zinc,  or  sfielter^and  its  various  useu. 

Zinc  combined  wit^i  gold  in  equal  proportions  forms  a 
hard  white  compound  metal,  that  ad.nits  of  a  fine  polish, 
and  may  be  advantageously  manufactured  into  specula 
for  optical  instruments. 

Zinc  and  Tin  melted  together  form  a  kind  of  pewter. 

Spelter  and  copper  readily  unite  in  the  fire,  provided  the 
combustion  of  the  former  be  Cdrefully  ])revented  during 
th'c  process.  In  this  state,  it  forms  a  metal  distinguished 
by  the  name  of  yellovv  copper  ;  but  which  is  divided  into 
several  sorts  according  to  the  respective  proportions 
contained  in  the  alloy.  Thus  three  parts  of  copper  and 
one  of  zinc,  constitute. brass  ;  five  or  six  of. copper  and 
one  of  zinc,  form  ;)i)ichbeck  :  Tembac  is  composed  of  a 
still  larger  proportion  of  copper  than  pinchbeck,  is  of  a 
deeper  red,  and  bears  the  name  of  its  inventor.  Printes 
metal  requires  a  still  larger  proportion  of  zinc  than  either 
of  the  preceeding  compositions. 

VII.  7o  7nake  blue  letters  on  Jwlished  sword  blades. 

Take  a  well  polished  sword  blade,  and  hold  it  over 
a  charcoal  fire  till  it  is  blue,  then  with  oil  colour  write 
such  Ittters,  (or  make  such  figures)  as  you  wish  should 
appear,  and  reman,  and  let  them  dry  ;  theji  warm  some 
strong  vineijar,  and  pour  all  over  the  l)lade,  which  will 
intalliably  take  oif  the  blue  colour.  After  this  process, 
a  htth  common  warm  water  will  take  off  the  oil  colour, 
and  the  letters  or  figures  will  appear  and  remain  of  a  cu- 
rious and  indeliable  blue,  the  same  may  be  done  on  any 
polished  steel. 

VIII.  Method  of  giving  a  lustre  to  Silver. 

Dissolve  a  quantity  of  alum  in  water,  so  as  to  make  a 
pretty  strong  brine,  which  you  must  scum  vefy  caretully  ; 
add  some  soap  to  it,  and  when  you  want  to  use  it,  dip 
apifce  of  linen  rag  in  it,  and  daub  it  over  your  pieces  of 
plate.    This  process  will  add  much  to  their  lustre. 

IX.  To  extxact  Mercury  from  Lead. 

Take  lead  filings  one  pound  ;  ammoniac  salt  four  oun- 
ces ;  bricks  pounded  into  a  powder,  th.  te  pounds.  Dis? 
til  this  composition  in  a  retort,  on  a  gradual  fire.  The 
receiver  must  be  very  large,  half  full  of  water,and  the  fir^ 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  13 

wustbe  continued  for  twelve  hours,  pushing  it  by  degrees^ 
to  the  very  last. 

X.  To  preserve  fhtorightness  of  arms* 

Rub  them  with  hart's  marrow.  Or  else,  dissolve  some 
alum  powder  with  the  strongest  vinegar  you  can  find,(that 
of  Montpellier,  which  serves  to  make  their  famous  verdi- 
grease,  is  the  fittest)  and  rub  your  arms  with  it-  By  these 
means,  they  keep  for  ever  bright  and  shining. 

XI.  To  ofierate  the  transmutation  of  iron  into  iteel    * 

Take  beech  and  willow,  burn  them  together.  Whrn  in 
coals,  extinguish  them,  before  they  are  consumed,  with 
'water,  or  rather,  with  chamber- lye.  Pound  them  well 
and  sift  them  through  a  very  fine  sieve-  Then  burn  like- 
wise ox  horns,  and  prepare  them  the  same  way.  Sift  well 
also  soot,  vine  ashes,  burnt  shoe  ashes,  and  pomegranate, 
shell  powder,  putting  aside  and  separating  each  drug  by 
itself,  and  mix  them  afterwards,  when  used,  in  the  follow- 
ing proportions.  Coals  twelve  pounds  ;  horns  ten : 
shoes,  vine  soot,  and  pomegranate,  of  each  equal  quanti- 
ties three  pounds,  all  well  mixed  together.  To  make 
one  hundred  pounds  weight  of  steel,  there  is  required 
one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  weight  o:  good,  soft  Span- 
ish iron  not  streaky  ;  to  which  if  you  give  the  aforemen- 
tioned dose  of  the  said  powders,  prepared  as  directed,  and 
put  to  the  fire,  for  the  space  of  forty-eight  hours,  you  will 
get  the  best  steel  which  can  be  had,  • 

XII.    Anotherreceijit for  the  Same. 

1.  Take  one  bushel  of  beech  coals  pulverised  and  sift- 
ed alder's  coals,  thus  prepared,  one  ptck  ;  vine  ashes  and 
soot,  both  well  pulverised  and  sifted,  equal  parts,  half  a 
peck.  Mix  well  these  powders,  and  stratify  your  iron  bars 
with  them  in  a  crucible  well  luted  ;  then  give  a  good  fire 
for  twenty-four  hours. 

JV  B.  Observe  that  you  must  take  care  to  use  new,  and 
not  floted  wood  to  make  the  said  ashes. 

2  If  you  want  to  have  your  steel  white,  you  must  add 
to  all  the  above  powders  one  ptck  of  juniper  wo(  d  ashes. 

3-  If  you  want  it  purple  you  must  make  a  lexiviation  of 
vine  and  shoe  ashes,  soot  and  gailic,  well  pourded,  equal 
parts  ;  and  a  sufficient  quantity  wf  wa'er  to  make  the  said^ 
bullitorium,  in  which  you  will  steep,  cold,  your  iron  bars 
before  vou  cement  them. 

4.  You  must  proportionate  the  quantity  of  wind  holes.iii 


14  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

each  kiln,  to  the  quantity  of  bars,  and  ot  crucibles,  for 
which  vou  intend  tc  fit  it. 

5.  The  stratum  sufur  strattuv  ought  to  be  nnadeaninch, 
or  an  inch  and  a  half  inch  thick  of  powder  to  each  bed. 
The  bars  ought  to  be.  ranged  cross  way  one  over  another ; 
and  large  crucibles  are  to  ^e  preferred  to  small  ones. 
You  must  take  care  to  have  them  so  well  luted,  as  not  to 
allow  the  least  air  to  find  its  way  in  ;  for  there  would 
result  an  intire  mi<5carriage!ofthe  whole  operation  ;  and 
besides,  your  poAvder  \yould  hence  lose  all  its  virtue  — 
Sh  •■.lid  vou  likewise  letit'^etair  before  vou  make  use  of  it, 
i|  would  becom^^.tjuite  dead  and  flat.  Therefore,  vou  are 
cautioned  to  keep  it  alwavs  very  closely  confined  in  well 
stopped  V  sseh,  of  whatever  kind  they  may  be-  That 
■which  comes  off  fr  .m  the  crucible,  after  the  operation,  is 
not  '.yo!*se  for  havi^ig  been  thus  in  use  It  wants  therefore,' 
nothing  but  an  additional  supply  of  fresh  powder  joined 
to  it>  to  make  up  what  is  lost  or  diminished,  by  the  fre- 
quent handling  ot  it,  in  taking  it  out,  and  putting  it  in  thd', 
cruciblf^s  again. 

6.  The  kiln  ought  to  be  wide  by  the  inferior  part,  and 
go  narra  vly  towards  the  top,  which  must  end  in  a  conical 
for  n.  B\'  such  means  the  heat  contracted  becomes  strong, 
ami  acts  with  infinitely  more  power-  Neither  must  vou 
neglect  to  have  it  so  constructed  as  to  be  provided  with 
an  ash-hole,  or  a  place  underneath  wherein  the  ashes  may 
fall,  and  several  openings  to  let  the  wind  escape. 

XIII.    To  g'we  iron  a  temfier  to  cut  fiorfihyry. 
% 
Make  your  iron  red  hot,  .and  plunge  it  in  distilled  water 
froo    nettles,  aca".thus,  awr//?2/05e//a,^r  mouse  ears)  or 
in  the  very  juice  pounded  out  of  these  plants. 

XiV.   To  sojten  all  sorts  of  metals- 

Take  sublimated  i^ercurv,  euphorbium,  borax  and  am- 
moniac salt  of  each  equ  d  pu's  pulverised  Project  some 
of  th-it  po.vder  over  am-  metal,  w!ien  in  a  state  of  fusion, 
and  you  will  obtain  the  desired  effect  of  making  it  soft. 

XV    A  vf-rij  hard  temper  for  arins. 

Take  nettle  juice,  bullock's  gall,  child's  water  or  strong 
vinegar,  and  a  little  salt.  Incorpf<rate  well  all  this  toge- 
ther, and  plunge  any  red-hot  iron  in  it« 


SECRETS  IN  At^TS,  TRADES  &c.  15 

XVI.  Ingndimts  which  serve  to  the  melting  of  iron. 

Iron  is  to  be  melted  with  anv  of  the  following  ingrKli- 
ents;  viz  pewter. lead,  marcasite,  magtACsia,  auripigrnent, 
•antimonv,  crowtt  glass,  sulphur,  ammoniac  salt,  citrine 
miribolans,  green,  or  fresh  pomegranate  rinds,  &c.  &c. 

XVII.  Another  method  to  refine  fienvter. 

Take  fine  pewter,  and  ptJt  it  into  a  -crucible  When 
melted  project  over  it,  at  different  times,  some  nitre,  till  it 
comes  to  a  perfect  calcination.  Repeat  this  thrte  times, 
pounding  the  matter  into  powder  which  mix  with  char- 
COiil  dust.  Being  thus  melted,  it  will  resume  its  former 
substance  of  pewter,  with  this  difference,  that  it  wniib^nta| 
refined  to  an  infinitely  superior  degree.  ^^^ij^^l 

XVIII.  To  fix  Mercury.  ^ 


Ik 


Take  verdigrease,  in  powder,  which  put  in  a  crucible, 
Make  a  hole  in  that  powder  and  place  in  it  a  knot  of  mer- 
cury previously  impregnated  with  white  ofeggs  water.  Co- 
ver this  knot  over  with  borax, and  add  again  r  ver  this  some 
more  verdigrease  and  pounded  glass,  one  or  two  finger's 
deep.  Lute  well  the  lid  of  the  crucible,  and  i^ve  a  pretty 
smart  fire,  though  gradually  and  not  at  once,  for  the 
space  of  two  hours. 

XIX.  To'txtract  mercury  from  lead. 

Take  lead  and  beat  itinto  sheets,  or  laminas,  very  fine. 
Put  these  in  a  glass  vessel  with  common  salts,  a  double 
quantity  of  the  lead.  Cover  this  well,  and  bury  it  under 
ground  for  nine  days  at  least.  After  that  time,  if  you  open 
the  vessel  again,  you  will  find  your  lead  turned  all  into 
running  mercury,  or  quicksilver  at  the  bottom  of  it. 

XX.  The  comfiosition  ofmetalic  mirrors,  or  looking  glas- 
ses, used  among  the  alicienLs, 

1.  Take  one  pound  of  decapitated,  or  well  purified  cop- 
per.'which  melt,  then  throw  over  it  three  pounds  of  retin- 
ed  pewter  As  soon  as  they  shall  be  b(jth  in  good  fusion, 
add  six  ounces  oL  c-^Jc'uated  red  tartar,  two  of  arsenic, 
half  an  ounce  oL«s»^lrpetre,  and  two  drachms  of  alum. 
Leave  all  this  inni8i©n  together  for  the  space  of  three  or 


16  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

four  hours  that  all  the  salts  may  well  evaporate,  then  cast 
this  composition  in  the  flat  sand  mould,  prepared  for  it. 

2.  To  i^ive  these  mirrors  the  requisite  polish,  proceed 
as  follows.  Take  the  coarsest  part  away  with  the  wheel 
over  a  grinding  stone,  the  same  method  as  the  pewterers 
and  braziers  do,  and  then  smooth  them  with  water  till  they' 
are  sufficiently  polished  by  attrition.  Take  the  mirror 
from  that,  wheel,  and  pit  it  on  the  wooden  one  covered 
with  leather,  after  having  rubbed  it  well  with  emery,  to 
give  it  a  fine  polish,  then  take  it  again  from  this  wheel, 
and  put  it  on  another  of  the  same  kind,  covered  with  lea- 
ther, after  having  previously  rubbed  your  mirror  with  pre- 
pared blood  stone,  and  washing  it  afterwards  with  magis- 
ter  of  pewter.  Take  notice  to  make  your  mirrors  observe 
on  both  the  last  leathered  wheels,  the  same  oblique  direc- 
tion in  turning  them,  and  continue  so  long  till  the  mirror 
has  acquired  a  sufficient  fineness  and  brightness. 

Convex  and  ardent  mirrors  are  rubbed  and  polished  in 
the  same  manner. 


XXI.  To  give,  tools  such  a  temfier  as  mil  enable  them  te 
sawmarblC' 


Make  the  tool  red  hot  in  the  fire,  and  when  red  cherry 
oolour,  take  it  off  from  the  fire,  rub  it  with  a  piece  of  can- 
dle, and  steep  it  immediately  in  good  strong  vinegar,  ie 
which  you  shall  have  diluted  some  soot. 


XXII.  To  soften  irony  and  harden  it  q/terwards  more  than 
it  ivas  before. 


1  Make  a  little  chink  lengthways  in  an  iron  bar,  in 
which  pour  melted  lead.  Then  make  it  evaporate  by  a 
strong  fire,  as  that  for  copelling.  Renew  this  operation 
four  or  five  times,  and  the  bar  will  become  very  soft.  You 
harden  it  afterwards  in  steeping  it,  when  red  hot,  in  mere 
forge  water,  and  it  will  be  of  so  good  a  temper,  as  to  be  fit 
for  lancets,  and  razors  and  knives,  with  which  you  will  be 
able  to  cut  other  iron,  without  its  splitting  or  denting. 

2  It  has  been  found  by  experience  that  an  armour  can 
npver  be  good  proof  against  fire  arms,  if  it  has  not  first 
been  softened  with  oils,  gums,  wax  and  other  incerative 
things  and  afterwards  hardened  by  steeping  them  several 
times  over  in  binding  waters. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADESr&c.     l^ 

XXIII.  The  transmutation  of  iron  into  damask  steel. 

You  must  first  purge  it  of  its  usual  brittleness;  and  af- 
ter havnig  reduct^d  it  into  filings,  aiake  it  red  hot  in  a  cru- 
cible ;  steep  it  several  tiaies  in  oil  of  olives,  in  which  yoU 
shall  have  before  thrown  several  times  melted  lead.  Take 
care  to  cover  the  vessel  in  which  the  oil  is  contained,  eve- 
ry tinie  you  throw  your  steel  into  it,  for  fear  the  oil  should 
catch  fire. 

XXIV.  To  guard  iron  against  rusting. 

Warm  your  iron  till  you  can  no  more  touch  it  without 
burning  yourself.  Then  rub  it  with  new  SLud  clean  white 
■wax.  Put  it  again  to  the  fire,  till  it  has  soaked  in  the  wax. 
When  doie,  rub  it  over  with  a  piece  of  serge,  and  this  iron 
•will  never  rust. 

XXV.  To  cut  fiebbles  with  ease. 

Boil  it  a  good  while  in  some  mutton  suet,  and  then  you 
will  cut  it  very  easily. 

KXVl.  ./i  projection  on  co/i/ier. 

1.  Take  fine  pewter  two  ounces,  which  you  melt  in 
^  crucible.  When  melted,  throw  in  it  by  little  at  a  time 
fhe  same  weie.ht  of  flour  of  brimstone.  Stir  every  time 
with  a  rod,  till  you  see  both  your  pewter  and  sulphur  well 
calcinated.  Then  take  the  crucible  out  of  the  fire,  and 
throw  in  half  an  ounce  of  crude  mercury.  Let  it  cool,  and 
pulverise  this. 

2.  Now  melt  four  ounces  of  molton  copper.  When  in 
go- id  fusion,  project  on  it.  by  degrees,  one  ounce  of  the  a- 
bove  powder,  stirring  carefully,  whi^e  you  do  it,  with  a 
stick.  Leave  it  thus  in  fusion  for  a  little  while,  and  then 
you  may  use  it  for  making  all  sorts  of  plates  It  is  so  beau- 
tiful, that,  if  you  test  it  on  the  coppel  with  lead,  it  will 
stand  it  perfectly. 

XXVU.     The  fir eparaiions  of  emery. 

1.  Calcine  eastern,  or  Spanish  emery,  three  or  four 
times  in  the  fire  ;  then  let  it  cool.  Pound  it  and  make  stra- 
ta super  strata  of  it,  with  double  the  quantity  of  sulphur- 
Vivum  in  powder.  Leave  this  crucible  in  the  furnace  with 
a  strong  fire  during  three  or  four  hours.  Repeat  this  pro- 
cess tour  different  times  over,  then  reduce  your  emery 
Into  an  impalpable  powder.    Put  it  next  into  a  matrassj 


la  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec. 

pour  over  it  regnl  water,  tliat  it  swim  over  by  three  fing- 
ers deep.  Put  this  in  digestion  for  eight  hours.  Pour  off 
by  inclination  your  regal  water,  impregnated  with  the 
dye  Put  new  wi.ter  on  your  matter,  and  set  it  on  digest- 
ing again  for  eight  other  iiours,  as  the  former.  Then  take 
your  thus  tinged  waters,  which  you  will  mix  and  put  in  a 
retort.  Distil  most  part  of  it,  till  you  see  what  remains  in 
the  r-:  tort  is  yellow-  This  is  the  true  oil  of  emery,  in 
which  vou  put  the  bigness  of  a  filbert  of  camphire. 

2.  Exsulphurate  in  a  crucible,  on  a  good  fire,  and  dur- 
ing two  hours,  what  quantity  you  please  of  arsenic.  Then 
take  two  ounces  of  the  aforesaid  oil  of  emery,  one  of  your 
exsulphurated  arsenic,  an  equal  quantity  ot  salt  of  tartar 
drawn  vvith  distilled  vinegar,  two  of  sublimate,  and  two  of 
silver ;  which  you  will  have  dissolved  in  an  aquafortis 
made  with  uitie  and  vitriol.  Put  all  together  in  a  matrass, 
so  large  that  the  composition  should  occupy  no  more  than 
a  third  part  of  it,  cf  which  you  shall  have  cut  the  neck  c^ff, 
to  obtain  a  more  easy  evaporation  of  the  compounds  from 
it.  Put  this  matrass  in  the  sand  as  high  as  the  m  Uter,  and 
give  it  a  moderate  fire  for  two  hours,  then  a  strong  one 
for  six  ;  let  the  fire  go  out  of  itself. '  Then  you  will  find 
your  matter  .n  a  stone  in  the  matrass.  Take  it  out,  and 
pound  it  into  powder,  projected  upon  another  ounce  of 
salt  in  fusion  ;  if  you  keep  it  a  little  while  in  that  state,  and 
throw  it  afterwards  into  oil  or  olives,  will  increase  your 
gold  by  a  third  of  its  primary  quality,  and  rather  more: 
Ar.ci  you  may  thus  increase  it  again  and  again,  by  repeat- 
ing the  same  operation. 

XXVIII.  To  dye  in  gold  silver  medals,  orlaminas,  through 
ajid  through. 

1.  This  curious  operation  is  performed  by  means  of  the 
admirable  sait  of  Glauber,  which  is  made  with  nitre  and 
-^  iiriul  oil,  in  the  following  manner  :— Take  what  quantity 
you  please  of  nitre  salt,  pour  (  ver  it  a  sj.fficient  qu  intity  of 
oil  kA  vitriol,  to  swim  over.  When  the  ebillitions  arising 
from  that  mixture  shall  be  ended,  distil  to  dryness  ;  there 
remains  a  white  salt,  known  under  the  name  of  salt  of 
Glauber. 

2  Dissolve  in  what  quantity  of  warm  water  you  think 
prcper,  or  be  in  need  of,  a  sufficient  quantity  of  that  salt 
*^s  may  saturate  it,  which  you  know,  when  you  see  the  war 
ter  can  diss<  Ive  no  more  of  it.  In  this  dissolution  put  a 
drachm  ct  cAx,  or,  magister  of  gold.  I  hen  put  in  digestion 
in  it  Silver  laminas  cut  sa.all  and  thin,  for  twenty-tour 
hours,  over  a  verv  gentle  lire.  At  the  end  of  that  'erm 
you  will  find  theni  thoiou^lily  dyed  gold  cciour,  inside  and 
outside. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  19 

XXIX.  To  solder  iron,  or  any  other  metal  ivithout  fae. 

1.  Take  one  ounce  of  ammoniac,  and  one  of  comiT,on 
salts ;  an  equal  quantity  of  calcined  tartar,  and  as  much 
of  bell-metal,  vvith  three  our.ces  of  anlimony.  Pcund  all 
together  and  sift  it.  Put  this  into  a  piece  of  linen,  and  in- 
close it  well  all  round  with  fuller's  earth,  about  one  inch 
thick.  Let  it  dry,  then  put  it  between  two  crucibles,  over 
a  slow  fire,  to  get  heat  by  degrees.  Push  on  the  fire  till 
the  lump  contained  in  the  crucibles  becomes  quite  red 
hot,  and  melt  all  together.  Then  let  the  vessels,  and  the 
whole,  cool  gradually,  and  pound  it  into  powder. 

2,  When  you  want  to  solder  any  thing,  put  the  two 
pieces  you  want  to  join  on  a  table,  approaching*  their  ex- 
tremities as  near  as.  vou  can  one  to  another.  Make  a 
crust  of  fuller's  earth  so,  that  holding  to  each  piece,  and 
passing  under  the  joint,  it  should  be  open  over  it  on  the 
top.  Then  throw  some  of  your  powder  between  and  over 
the  joint.  Have  again  some  borax,  whicli  put  into  hot 
wine  till  this  is  consumed,  and  with  a  feather  rub  your 
powder  at  the  place  of  the  joint ;  you  will  see  it  immedi- 
ately boiling.  As  soon  as  the  boiling  stops,  the  consolida- 
tion is  made.  If  there  be  any  roughness,  you  must  smooth- 
en  it,  by  rubbing  with  a  grinding  stone,  for  the  file  will 
have  no  power  over  it, 

XXX.  To  solder  with  fre. 

Make  a  paste  of  pulverised  chalk  and  gum  water, 
which  put  around  the  two  broken  pieces  placed  on  a  table., 
prepared  as  before- mentioned  in  the  preced  ng  receipt. 
The  only  difference  is,  that  you  are  to  rub  over  the  two 
united  extn-mities  with  melted  soap  ;  and,  after  having 
thrown  some  of  the  above  powder  at  the  place  of  the 
joint,  hold  a  kindled  piece  of  charcoal  over  it.  This  will 
immediately  set  the  matter  in  fusion,  which  is  no  sooner 
done,  but  you  may  take  off  the  paste,  and  you  will  find  it 
consolidated. 

XXXI.  To  7nake  borax. 

Take  two  ounces  of  roch-alum,  dilute  it,  and  mix  it 
with  two  out^ces  of  alkaline  salt,  which  is  used  in  making 
of  glass  Put  al'  into  a  pewter  pot,  and  set  it  a-doing,  for 
the  space  of  half  an  hour,  over  a  gentle  fire  ;  then  take  it 
out  of  the  water.  Take  next  two  ounces  of  gem  salt  in 
powder,  as  much  of  alkaline  salt,  two  pounds  of  virgin 
honey,  and  one  of  cow  milk.  Mix  well  all  together,  ai'd 
set  it  in  the  sun  for  three  days.    Then  the  borax  is  done. 


20  SECRETS  IN  ARTS.  TRADES,  &c. 

XXXIL  To  render  iron  as  white  and  beautiful  as  siiv&r. 

Take  ammoniac  salt  in  powder,  and  mix  it  with  an 
equal  quantity  of  quick  lime.  Put  them  all  together  into 
cold  water,  and  mix  well.  When  done,  any  iron  piece, 
which  you  shall  have  made  red  hot,  will,  if  you  steep  it  in 
that  prepared  water,  become  as  white  as  silver. 

» 
XXXIII.  To  calcine  /leiufer,  and  render  it  as  white  and  as 
hard  as  silver. 

Melt  well  your  pewter  in  a  crucible,  so.  that  it  may  be 
very  fine  and  clear.  Pour  it  afterwards  into  a  very  strong 
vinegar,  then  into  mercurial  water.  Repeat  that  opera- 
tion as  many  times  as  you  please,  you  will  each  time  give 
it  an  additional  degree  of  hardness  and  whiteness,  drawing 
near  to  silver  ;  so  much,  that  it  will  at  last  be  very  diffi- 
Qult  to  distinguish  it  from  silver  itself* 

XXXIV.  To  whiten  brass. 

Brass,  copper,  iron  or  steel,  may  also  be  easily  whitened 
by  means  of  the  butter  from  Cornwall  tin,  or  pewter, 
prepared  with  subhmate,  proceeding  as  follows. 

Take  Cornwall  pewter,  about  one  pound  ;  add  to  it  half 
that  quantity  of  sublimate.  Set  it  on  a  strong  fire,  and 
sublime.  Throw  away  the  first  water.  The  second  is 
good,  which  you  know  by  its  white  colour.  Now,  if  you 
make  a  piece  of  copper.'  brass,  steel,  or  iron,  it  does  not 
signify  which,  red  hot,  and  steep  it  in  that  water,  it  will 
become  as  white  as  silver. 

XXXV.  To  extract  gold  from  silver 

1.  Melt  whatever  quantity  you  please  of  lead,  in  a  cru- 
cible,  over  a  fire  of  clear  and  bright  live-coals.  Have  at 
the  same  time  in  fusion  an  equal  quantity  of  sulphur. 
Then  take  your  first  crucible,  in  which  the  lead  is  melted, 
off  from  the  fire  ;  and,  before  the  lead  shall  congeal,  throw 
in  the  same  quantity  in  weight  of  quicksilver.  Stir  and 
mix  well  this  with  a  stick.  When  this  is  done,  pour  your 
sulphur,  from  the  other  crucible,  over  the  mixture  of  lead 
and  quicksilver  you  have  just  made,  and  which  coagulates, 
continually  stirring  carefully  the  matter  with  a  spatula, 
for  fear  the  sulphur  should  blaze  and  be  consumed,  before 
it  is  all  poured  in.  When  the  v^hole  is  come  quite  cold, 
grind  it  on  a  marble  table  with  a  mullar.  Then  put  all 
again  into  a  crucible  over  the  fire,  and  leave  it  in  fusion 
till  all  the  sulphur  is  burnt  out,  and  the  matter  be  fluiii 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec  21 

enough  to  be  cast  in  an  ingot.  This  will  look  like  the  re- 
gulus  of  melted  anii;nony.  It  will  have  even  its  brittleness. 
2.  Reduce  this  composition  into  powder,  and  with  au 
eqn  il  quantity  in  weight  of  it  and  of  sdver  laminas  make 
Virata  tiu/icr  strata  of  them,  alterraately,  in  a  crucible,  be- 
gintung  and  ending  always  with  the  powder.  I'hen  over 
the  last  bed,  put  about  halt  an  inch  thick  of  Venetian 
glass,  or  crystal,  reduced  into  an  impalpable  powder. 
Observe  however  that  the  crucible  should  not  be  filled  so 
near  the  brim  as  to  let  the  glass  boil  over.  Make  a  fire 
strong  enough  to  melt  both  the  matters  and  the  glass,  and 
set  them  thus  in  fusion  all  together  for  an  hour  at  least. 
Then  take  off,  and  let  cool,  your  regulus  ;  in  bn  aking 
your  crucible,  make  a  coppel  or  test,  in  which  you  will 
put  lead  in  tusion,  till  it  is  as  fluid  as  it  can  be.  Throw  in 
your  reguius  to  purify  it  by  that  test,  in  the  same  nianner 
as  silver- smiths  do.  When  your  silver  shall  be  fallen  to 
the  bottom  very  pure,  put  in  laminas,  or  granulate  it ;  then 
put  it  to  dissolve  in  aquafortis.  You  will  see  some  small 
particles  of  fine  gold  precipitating  from  it,  in  the  f(.rm  of 
black  powder.  Wash  these  in  warm  water,  then  put 
them  in  tusion,  in  a  crucible,  and  you  will  have  true  jjieces 
of  good  gold,  fit  for  any  of  the  chymical  physics,  and 
sapable  to  stand  any  test. 


CHAP.  III. 
SECRETS  FOR  THE  COMPOSITION  OF  VARNISHES,  &e. 

I.  A  gold  varnish. 

TAKE  karabe,  or  amber,  eight  ounces,  and  two  of  guir,- 
lac.  Melt  first  the  karabe.in  a  varnished  earthen  p<  t,or 
in  the  retort  of  an  alembic,  over  a  ve.  y  stn^ng  fire.  Vv  hen 
this  is  melted.throw  in  the  gum-lac,ai.d  let  this  melt  in  the 
same  manner.  Then  take  some  of  the  fire  oif,  and  let  it 
cool ;  observing  with  a  stick,  whether  the  mattt  r  has  got 
all  Its  fluidity.  Mix  mit  six  or  eight  ounces  of  turpentine'oiL 
Keep  stirring,  in  order  to  incorporate  well  this  oil  with 
the  rest.  Add  also  a  spoonful  or  lintseed  oil,  prepared 
■with  /;t/iartca-al<  es,  which,  in  order  to  reduce  to  the  thick- 
ness ot  a  syrup,  mix  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  oil  of 
turpentine  tinged  with  rocou. 
C2 


22  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec 

II.  How  to  firefiare  the  lintseed  oil  with  the  hefiatica-alo&s]^ 

Jor  the  above  fiurfiose. 

Prepare  the  lintseed  oil  with  hepaiica-aloes,  by  mixing 
four  ounces  of  this  in  powder,  with  one  pound  ot  the  said 
oil,  over  the  fire,  till  it  has  acquired  the  consistence  of  a 
very  thick  syrup,  and  you  see  your  oil  beginning  to  scum, 
and  to  swell  much.  Then  pass  it  through  a  piece  of  linen, 
let  it  cool,  and  bottle  it,  to  keep  for  the  above  mention- 
ed  use. 

III.  I'd  draw  the  tincture  ofrocou,  used  in  the  compodtio?^ 

of  the  above  varnish. 

In  order  to  draw  the  tincture  of  rocou,  put  four  ounces 
of  it  in  oil  of  turpentine.  Set  this  ovf  r  a  genii,  fire,  in  the 
retort  of  an  alembic,  and,  as  soon  as  the  oil  begins  to  boil, 
take  it  from  the  fire,  stir  it  well  with  a  stick,  and  filter  it 
through  a  paper,  to  use  it  as  directed  before- 

IV.  A  varnish  jor  icing. 

Concoct  some  turpentine  with  water  and  white  wine, 
%T  brandy.  When  concocted,  dissolve  it  in  wine  and  oil  of 
turpentine. 

V.  jln  excellent  varnish- 

m 

Take'what  quantity  you  please  of  verdigrease,  grind  it 
•with  vinegar,  put  it  in  a  piece  of  dough,  as  you  would  aa 
apple  to  make  a  dumpling.  Bake  it  in  an  oven  as  bread  ; 
then  cut  open  your  dumpling,  and  get  the  verdigrease  out 
of  it.  Mix  it  with  wine,  and  use  it  Lay  over  it  a  coat  of 
four  ounces  of  gum  arabic,  then  polish  as  usual  You  wiU 
find  it  will  answer  your  expectation,  and  be  a  very  fine 
tarnish. 

VI.  For  colouring  and  preserving  gates,  poles,  barns,  iJfe. 

Melt  twelve  ounces  of  rosin  into  an  iron  pot  or  kettle  : 
add  three  gallons  of  train  oil,  and  three  or  four  rolh  of 
brimstone.  When  the  rosin  and  brimstone  are  melted., 
and  become  thin,  add  as  much  Spanish  brown,  or  red  or 
yellow  oker  (or  any  other  colour  you  want,  ground  fine, 
as  usual  with  o\],)  as  will  give  the  whole  as  deep  a  shade 
as  you  like.  Then  lay  it  on  a  brush  as  hot  and  as  thin  as 
you  can.  Some  days  after  the  first  coat  is  dried,  give  it  a 
second.  It  is  well  attested  that  this  will  preseve  planle 
iti  ages. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  23     V 

VIL  A  red  varnish. 

1.  Take  three  ounces  of  gum  lac,  half  an  ounce  of  san~ 
darak,  as  much  of  mastich  \n  dmp,  and  a  pint  of  French 
spirit  of  wine.  Put  all  in  a  matrass,  which  you  must  take 
care  to  lute  well  with  potter'^  clay,  and  stop  with  paper. 
Have  a  large  iron  kettle,  two  parts  of  which  shall  be  fil- 
led with  sand  Place  the  ktttle  over  the  coals,  and  lay 
the  matrass  on  the  sand. — Get  the  composition  to  boil  in 
that  situation  for  three  hours,  Strain  it  through  a  shter- 
cloth  bottle  and  stop  it  well,  and  keep  it  frr  use. 

2.  To  make  this  varnish  red,  yon  put  one  ounce  of  ver- 
milion to  SiX  of  the  said  varnish.  But  to  dilute  the  vermil- 
ion, you  must  begin  b\  pouring,  first  some  oil  of  aspic  over 
it  and  then  the  six  ounces  of  varnish,  which  will  take 
near  a  quarter  of  an  hour  to  mix  well  together. 

3  O^jserve  thnt  the  wood  on  which  you  want  to  lay  it, 
has  been  first  well  polished.  Rub  it  again  besides  with  a 
pounce  stone  and  vinegar,  that  all  the  pores  may  be 
•well  filled,  and  should  appear  no  more.  Thtn  lay  with  a 
brush,  first  a  coat  of  simple  varnish,  without  verndlion. 
Let  this  dry ;  put  on  n^  xt  your  second  coat,  of  that  which 
is  prepart^d  with  the  vermihon  ;  then  a  third  and  a 
fourth,  according  as  you  want  it  of  a  more  or  less  deep 
red- 

VHI.  A  black  varnish.  g 

1.  Take  gum-lac,  four  ounces ;  sandarak  and  black  ro- 
sin, equal  quantities  one  ounce  of  each.  Pulverise  all 
separately,  and  keep  them  distinct,  to  pn^ceed  after- 
■wards  in  their  mixture  according  to  the  following  direc- 
tions. Dissolve  the  rosin  over  the  fire  in  a  snfficient 
quantity  of  spirit  of  wine,  then  add  the  sandarak  to  it. 
A*^  soon  as  this  is  also  dissolved,  add  the  powder  of  gum- 
lac,  and  stir  well  till  all  is  melted  together. — Strain  it 
%vhi!e  warm,  through  a  cloth.     If  any  thing    remain   in 

^the  linen   afterwards,    add   some  more  spirit  of  wine, 
to  dissolve  it  as  before,  and  strain  it  again. 

2.  The  black  colour  is  given  to  it  by  means  of /we  dr(t- 
ehms  only  of  ivory  black  to  every  two  ouncea- 

IX.  To  make  ivory  black/or  the  above fiur pose. 

Burn  any  quantity  of  ivory  you  please,  in  the  fire  till 
it  is  black.  Put  it  into  powder  on  a  stone  of  porphyry. 
Add  some  water  to  it,  and  make  a  paste,  which  you  let 
<ry.    Then  grind  it  again,  as  before,  with  spirit  of  wine. 


24  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  6cc, 

X.  A  varnish  forjloors. 

Put  a  little  petroly  or  rnck  oil  with  varnish  and  tur- 
pentine, and  stir  well.  Lay  it  on  your  floors  with  an  old 
hair  oroom,  after  having  mixed  in  it  the  colour  you  want 
them  to  be. 

XI.  A  varnish  from  Flanders- 

Take  scthereal  oil  of  turpentine,  and  Venice  turpen- 
tine equal  parts.  Mix  them  over  a  moderate  fire,  and 
use  this  boilii;g. 

XII.  A  varnish  to  lay  en  canvas  sashes. 

Take  fine  and  clear  turpentir.e,  four  ounces  ;  oil  of 
nuts,  two.  Melt  all  together  over  a  fire,  and  when  it 
begins  to  boil,  tcum  it,  and  use  it  hot  with  a  brush. 

XII  J.  A  varnish  oj  shell  lac  for  pictures. 

1.  Take  spirit  of  wine,  one  pound  ;  pickled  shell-lac, 
five  ounces  ;  sandarak,twoand  a  halt  ;  while  karabe  and 
mastich,  equal  parts,  two  drachms  of  each. 

2  First  boil  and  skim  the  shell-lnc  and  sandarak  togeth- 
cr,  to  have  them  the  whiter.  Then  add  the  mastich  and 
karabe  to  that,  an  I  put  all  in  a  aiatrass  over  a  sand  tire, 
to  dige^  and  concoct  together  by  a  gentle  heat. 

XIV-  Another  varnish  for  pictures. 

Take  four  ounces  of  gum  arabic,  the  clearest  and 
whitest  you  ca^  find  Put  it  to  infuse  in  a  pound  of  water, 
over  e'l'.ber  ashes,  for  one  nigh'..  Strain  it  in  the  morning 
through  a  cloth,  havini^  added  the  bulk  of  a  nut  of  Nar- 
bnnne-honevj  and  half  that  quantity  of  sugar  candy.  It 
is  not  to  be  used  with  a  brush. 

XV-  Another  sort.  < 

Take  aquavits,  sugar-candy,  and  white  of  eggs,  a  rea- 
sonable quant  ty  of  each.  Beat  all  well  together  to  a  froths 
Underneath  is  a  liquor,  that  is  your  varnish.  You  may 
lay  it  with  a  soft  brush  on  any  sort  of  picture. 

XVI.  The  Chinese  varnish. 
t.  Take  pulverised  and  sifted  sealing  wax  two  ounces. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  25 

I  Put  it  in  a  matrass,  with  four  ounces  of  turpentine  oil. 
Give  a  trentle  fire  that  all  mav  nnelt  Jf  the  wax  be  red, 
you  need  add  nothing  but  the  oil  If  black,  some  lamp- 
black is  requisite  to  be  added  «itill.  And  with  this  first 
composition,  you  lav  on  the  first  coat. 

2.  Next  to  this  have  aloes  and  karabe,  of  each  two 
ounces.  Dissolve  this  in  a  varnished  pipkin,  along  with 
twelve  ounces  of  lifstseed  oil,  till  all  is  well  incorporated- 
There  will  fall  a  ground  to  the  bottom,  over  which  will 

I  swim  a  very  fine  and  transparent  liquor.  Oi  this\ou 
are  to  make  your  second  coat  of  varnish,  laying  it  over 
the  other  after  it  is  dry. 

I      XVII.  Toimitatejasfier,  or  variegated  black  marble. 

Take  suljihur  vivum,  quick  lime,  aquafortis^  and  the 
green  rind  of  walnuts,  one  ounce  of  each.  D.lute  all  to- 
gether, then  lay  it  with  a  brush  on  what  you  want  to  be 
jaspered,  whether  a  column,  a  table,  or  -any  thing  else. 
This  done,  put  your  table  or  colunm,  &c  thus  black- 
ened, in  a  dunghill  for  the  space  of  twelve  days,  and  then 
take  it  out  again,  you  will  find  it  well  veined  and  varie- 
gated- To  give  it  a  fine  gl'  ss,  rub  it  with  a  varnish  com- 
posed as  prescribed  hereafter,    see  Art-  xix. 

XVIII.  Another  ivay. 

Make  a  large  ball,  w  ith  the  drugs  prescribed  in  the 
above  receipt,  to  conr.pose  >  our  black.  Lay  it  for  a  wt  ek 
in  a  dunghill.  When  by  that  means  it  is  well  variega- 
ted, rub  your  intended  piece  oi  furniture  with  it. 

XIX.  An  excellent  varnish  to  give  a  fine  gloss  to  jasper 
orvadcgattd  black  marble. 

Take  oil  of  spikenard,  three  ounces  ;  sandarak,  well 
picked  and  clean,  two.  Have  a  new  earthen  pot  well 
glazed-'  bet  it  before  the  fire  a  warming,  without  any 
thing  in  it.  When  hot,  throw  in  it  one  half  of  the  san- 
darak, and  one  half  of  the  oil.  Stir  it  well,  lest  it  should 
burn,  or  stick  to  the  pot. — When  it  is  nearly  melted, 
throw  in  the  remainder  of  the  oil  and  sandarak.  When 
all  is  well  dissolved  and  mixed,  add  a  piece  of  camphire, 
to  take  away  the  smell  of  this  composition,  and  let  it  dis- 
solve ;  then  bottle  and  stop  it  for  use.  It  requires  to  be 
used  hot. 

XX.  A  varnish  which  dries  in  two  hours  time. 

Melt  four  ounces  of  yellow  amber,  in  a  new  eartheB 


26  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c, 

pan,  over  kindled  coals.  Take  care,  in  that  operation^ 
that  the  fire  should  but  just  reach  and  touch  the  bi  ttom 
of  the  pan,  and  none  should  rise  along  the  sides.  Never 
cease  to  stir,  from  the  moment  it  is  melted,  with  a 
deal  stick,  add  directly  one  ounce  of  sealing  wax.  As 
soon  as  this  is  also  melted,  add  half  an  ounce  of  lintseed 
oil,  previously  thickened  with  a  little  gold  htharge,  then 
take  it  off  from  the  fire,  and  stir  it  as  before.— When 
the  matter  bea^ins  to  be  a  lit'le  cold,  then  is  the  time  of 
adding  what  quantity  of  turpentine  oil  you  find  necessary, 

XXI.  A  varnish  for  copfierfilatefirints. 

Prepare  water  with  some  isinglass.  Lay,  with  a  very 
soft  brush,  a  coat  of  this  on  the  print.  Next  to  this,  lay 
another  ot  the  folio-wing  varnish— True  French  spirit  pf 
win-,  half  a  pound  ;  gum  elemi,  two  drachms,  and  san- 
darak,  three.  .- 

XXII.  jln  ad?nirable  varnish' 

Take  white  mastich  and  lintseed  oil,  what  quantity  you 
please  ;  a  little  turpentine,  pounded  glass,  burnt  verdi- 
greuse  and  pounded  amber.  Boil  and  melt  all  together 
in  a  new  earthen  pot-  When  done  you  will  find  it  to  be 
an  admirable  varnish. 

XXIII.  A  varnish  fit  to  lay  on  all  sorts  of  colours. 

Take  one  ounce  of  white  amber,  half  an  ounce  of  spirit 
of  turpentine,  four  ounct- s  of  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  (the 
true  French  sort)  one  drachm  of  mastich,  and  as  much 
of  juniper  gum.  Put  all  together  to  infuse  for  eight  days. 
Evaporate  two  parts  of  it  over  a  gentle  fire.  What  re- 
mains is  a  vai'nish  fit  for  laying  on  all  sorts  of  colours,  and 
which  will  hurt,  spoil,  or  damage  none. 

XXIV.  A  varnish  known  under'the  afifidlation  o-^'Beaume^ 
blanc,  or  white  balm. 

Take  spirit  of  wine,  four  ounces ;  gum  lac,  half  an 
ounce  ;  sandarak,  two  drachms  ;  mastich,  one.  Pulverise 
the  ingredients,  and  put  them,  with  the  spirit  of  wine,  in 
a  square  bottle,  large  enough  to  be  but  half  full,  after  the 
wh'>le  is  in  it — Dissolve  this  over  a  slow  firejand  take  care 
the  bottle  be  well  stopped. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Ike,  '2Y 

XXV.  ji  varnish  to  be  used  on  filaistery  and  any  sort  of 

materials. 

To  the  varnish  of  copal  and  spirit  of  wine,  only  add 
some  calcined  chalk* 

XXVI.  ^71  excellent  varnish^  in  which  may  be  puty  and 
diluted,  whatever  colour  you  like — It  suits  equally  well 
goldsmiths  and  limners. 

Take  aspic  and  turpentine  oils,  of  each  one  ounce  ;  clean 
picked  sandarak  pulverised,  tour  drachms  ;  gum  copal, 
two.  The  whole  being  well  pulverised,  put  it  along  with 
your  oils  in  a  matrass,  with  the  addition  of  halt  a  pouTid  of 
spirit  ot  wine  ;  and  ;>et  it  in  a  balneo  marice.  When  the 
matter  is  dissolved,  strain  and  keep  it  for  use,  in  a  glass 
bottle  well  stopped. 

XXVII.  A  Chinese  varnish  suitable  to  all  the  sorts  of 

colours, 

1.  Take  one  ounce  of  white  amber,  one  quarter  of  an 
ounce  of  sandarak,  as  nniich  of  gum  copal.  Pound  these 
together,  and  put  them  in  a  matrass,  perfr  ctly  dry.  To 
every  ounce  pounded  and  niiKed  thus  together,  put  three 
ounces  of  spirit  ot  wme-  Stop  well  the  matrass  with  a  rag, 
some  paste  made  with  fl  ur,  and  then  another  rag  well 
tied  over.  Boil  the  varnish  thus,  over  ember  ashes,  tdl 
the  whole  is  dissolved  :  apply  it  as  follows  : 

2.  The  piece  intended  for  varnishin^^  being  previously 
■well  polish>  d,  you  lay  on  it  the  proposed  colour  or  colours, 
diluted  in  aguavifcCy  with  some  isinglass.  When  these  are 
dry,  pass  on  thein  two  or  three  coats,  according  to  discre- 
tion ;  allowing;  proper  time  between  each  coat  of  varnish 
tt)  .Iry  ;  and,  when  dry.  polish  it  with  olive  oil  and  tripoly, 
then  rub  the  oil  with  a  rag. 

JVote  if  you  intend  this  varnish  for  miniature  pictures, 
you  are  to  make  an  addition  ot  equal  parts  of  gum  copal 
and  white  amber. 

XXVIII.  Chinese    varnish,    fiarticularly    calculated  for 

miniature  painting. 

Take  one  ounce  of  white  karabe,  or  amber ;  and  one 
drachm  of  camphire,  reduced  into  a  subtile  ptwder,  and 
put  in  a  matrass,  with  five  ounces  of  spirit  ot  wine.  Set  it 
in  the  sun  to  infuse,  during  the  hottest- days-,  stir  it  two  or 


28  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

three  times  a-day.  After  a  fortnight's  infusing  thus,  put 
the  matrass,  for  one  hour,  over  hot  ashes  ;  then  pass  all 
through  a  cloth,  and  keep  it  in  a  bottle  well  corited' 

XXIX.  How  to  inake  a  red  with  varnish,  of  a  much  higher 
hue  than  coral  itself. 

Take  Spanish  vermilion,  grind  it  on  a  marble   with 
brandv,  and  add  to  it  the  sixth  or  eighth  part  of  1  ic.  Wheni 
done,  mix  this  composition  with  as  much  varnish  as  you 
may  find  it  requisite  to  apply.  ^ 

XXX.    To  make  it  gridelin  colour^ 

Dilute  with  your  varnish  some  blue  verditure,  lake,  anS 
-whitening. 

XXXI.    To  make  it  green. 

Substitute  for  the  above  ingredients,  German  green  vet- 
diture,  pewter  in  grain,  and  white  lead. 

XXXII.    Another  way  for  the  safne. 

Grind,  with  water,  on  a  marble  stone,  the  finest  orpine 
you  can  find,  and  a  little  indigo.  Let  it  dry,  then  pound 
and  niix  it  with  varnish. 

XXXllI.    To  make  it  yellow. 

Take  some  Naples  yellow,  and  mix  it  well  with  yout 
varnisti  ;  then  use  it 

XXXIV.    To  make  it  blue. 

Take  ultramarine,  lake,  and  whitening,  and  proceed  as 
ordered  in  the  other  receipts  above  mentioned. 

XXXV.    Another  sort  of  varnish. 

Take  shell-lac  in  grains,  two  ounces  ;  two  of  sandarak; 
black  rosin,  two  drachms  ;  and  spirit  of  wine,  one  quar- 
ter.   Dissolve  and  prepare  the  whole  as  above. 

XXXVI.  A  transfiaren:  varnish  fit  for  all  sorts  ofcoloun. 

Take  oil  of  nuts,  aad  a  little  of  the  finest  Venice  turpen- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  29 

line.  Boil  them  together.  Add  a  little  brandy  to  it,  and 
boil  it  also.  Should  the  varnish  prove  too  thick,  thin  it 
with  an  additional  quantity  of  oil  Make  use  of  a  very  soft 
brush,  and  lay  it  carefully  over  the  colours, 

XXXVII.  To  make  sashes  with  cloth  which  mil  be  very 
transfiarent. 

Take  fine  white  cloth  ;  the  finer,  the  niore  transparent 
the  sashes  will  be.  Fix  the  cloth  very  tight  on  a  frame. 
Then  make  some  starch  with  flour  of  rice,  and  lav  a  coat 
of  it,  as  smooth  as  you  can.  on  both  side  -  your  cloth,  with 
a  stifFbrush  ;  let  it  dry-  Then  the  following  varnish,  with 
a  soft  brush,  having  care  to  lay  it  on  as  equally  possible- 

XXXVIiy.    The  varnish  fit  for  the  above  sashes. 

1.  Take  of  the  finest  and  whitest  wax  you  can  find,  six 
pounds  ;  of  the  finest  and  clearest  Venice  turpentine,  two ; 
one  and  a  half  of  the  most  perfect  lintseed  oil.  Have  a  new 
and  varnished  pipkin,  larger,  at  least  by  one  third,  than  is 
requisite  to  contain  all  these  ingredients.  Put  first,  in  this 
pot,  the  lintseed  and  turpentine  oils  together,  and  set  it 
over  a  small  charcoal  fire. 

When  this  begms  to  be  a  little  warm,  put  in  the  wax, 
cut  in  small  bits,  and  take  care  to  mix  all  well  with  a  clean 
stick,  till  the  wax  is  thoroughly  incorporated  with  the 
rest. 

2  Now  take  the  pot  off  from  the  fire,  and.  while  this 
composition  is  still  a  little  warm,  give  a  coat  of  it  on  both 
sides,  prepared  as  before  directed,  and  let  it  dry  in  the 
shade. 

J^ote.  You  may  render  your  sashes  still  more  transpa- 
rent, if,  on  both  sides  of  them,  you  lay  a  smooth  coat  of 
the  following  varnish,  with  a  soft  brush. 

XXXIX.   Af.Tie  ivhitc  varnish. 

Take  one  pound  of  fine  Venice  turpentine,  and  as  much 
of  spirit  of  turpentine.  Put  this  in  a  glass  matrass,  larger, 
at  least  by  a  third,  than  is  wanted  to  contain  the  matter. 
Stop  this  matrass  with  another  smaller  matrass.  The  neck 
of  which  is  to  enter  into  that  of  the  former.  Have  care 
to  lute  well  both  necks  together,  with  paste  and  paper  ; 
and  when  the  luting  has  acquired  a  perfect  dryness,  set 
the  first  matrass  on  a  sand  bath,  then  set  the  varnish  a- 
hoiling  for  near  an  hour,  after  which  take  it  off  from  the 
fire,  and  let  it  cool.    When  cold,  bottle  and  stop  it  for  use. 

Note,  Turpentine  well  purified  from  all  its  greasy  parts, 
is  the  best  and  fittest  to  make  the  varnish  for  sashes. 
D 


30  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,. &c. 

XL.    A  varnish  to  fir  event  the  rays  of  the  sun  from  fias 
sing  through  the  panes  of  nvindoiv-glasses. 

Pound  gum  adragant  into  powder,  and  put  it  to  dissolve, 
for  twenty-four  hours,  in  whites  of  eggs,  well  beaten.  Lay 
a  coat  of  this  on  the  panes  of  your  windows,  with  a  soft 
brush,  and  let  it  dry- 

XLI.    To  raise  a  relief  on  varnish. 

1.  Dissolve  one  ounce  and  a  half  of  gum  arable  in  two 
pounds  of  water.  Grind  with  it  bol  armeniac  and  whiten- 
ing, on  a  porphyry  stone,  till  all  is  well  united  and  incor- 
porated— With  this  composition  fill  up  the  vacancies  be- 
tween the  outhnes  of  your  design,  and  form,  as  it  is  pro- 
per, the  various  reliefs,  with  the  suitable  proportions,  and 
according  to  the  sorts  of  things  you  are  to  imitate  or  re- 
present.    Then  smooth  the  parts,  and  let  it  dry. 

2.  Next  have  ready  prepared,  in  shells,  the  different 
sorts  of  metals  which  you  want  to  use,  diluted  with  gum- 
water  ;  and,  with  a  pencil,  cover  what  places  you  are  to 
cover-  When  this  is  also  dry,  burnish  it  skilfully  with  an 
ivory  tooth,  and  lay  a  coat  ofclear  varnish  over  the  whole. 
A  moderate  heat  is  required  for  a  moment,  to  help  that 
varnish  to  dry. 

XLII  To  render  silk  stuff's  transfiarejit,  after  the  Chinese 
ma7iner  ;  and  fiaint  tlum  imth  transfiarent  colours  like- 
rvise^  in  imitation  of  the  India  manufactured  silks. 

Take  two  pounds  of  oil  of  turpentine,  very  clear  ;  add 
to  it  two  ounces  of  mastich  in  grain,  and  the  bulk  of  a  fil- 
bert of  cair.phire.  Let  this  dissolve  by  a  gentle  heat,  then 
strain  it  through  a  cloth  Ot  this  oil  lay  one  coat,  or  two, 
en  both  sides  of  your  stuff.  Allow,  however  a  sufficient 
time  between  each  coat,  tor  each  to  dry,  and  let  the  se- 
cond lie  two  days  on  before  you  touch  the  stuff  again- 
Whsu  that  time  is  over,  draw  the  oulhnes  of  your  design, 
and  flowers,  &c  cover  this  with  a  preparation  of  lamp- 
black and  gum- water.  Then  fill  the  intervals  with  the 
intended  and  proper  colours,  suitable  to  the  purpose,  and 
\vh)Ch  oighr  to  be  all  transparent  colours,  diluted  with  a 
clear  varnish.  When  this  is  done,  and  dry,  lay  on  both 
the  right  and  the  wrong  sides  of  the  stuff  another  coat  of 
clear  varnish. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c.  31 

LXIII.  To  make  a  transparent  blue  huc^  for  the  above 
purpose. 

Take  nine  drachms  of  ammoniac  salt ;  j,ixof  verdigrease, 
distilled  and  exficcated.  Put  both  these  into  powder-  Di- 
lute these  powders  with  tortoise  oil.  Put  this  on  a  very 
thick  glass,  which  stop  well,  and  set  over  hot  ashes  for  a 
week. — After  that  time  your  colour  will  be  fit  for  use,  and 
make  your  drawings  with  the  clear  varnish,  as  directed  in 
the  preceding  article- 

XLLV.  To  make  a  transparent  xjelloiv  hue^for  the  same 
7ise. 

Take  a  new  laid  egg  of  that  veiy  day,  make  a  hole  in  the 
shelhto  draw  the  white  out  of  it.  Replace,by  the  same  hole, 
■with  the  yolk,  two  drachms  of  quicksilver,  and  as  much  of 
am  moniac  salt ;  then  stop  the  hole  with  wax  Set  that  egg 
in  hot  dung,  or  over  a  lamp  fire,  for  four  or  five  and  twenty 
days.  When  that  time  is  over,  break  the  egg,  ar.d  you  will 
fijjd  a  very  fine  transparent  yellow,  fit  for  the  use  abo^- 
mentioned. 

XLV.  To  make  a  transparent  green. 

Take  verdigrease,  gold  litharge,  and  quicksilver,  equal 
parts.  Grind  the  whole  in  a  mortar,  withthe  urjneol  a  child. 
Fm  it  next  into  a  bottle,  and  set  it  over  a  gentle  and  slow  fire, 
for  the  space  of  seven  or  eight  days.  This  composition  will 
give  a  v(  rv  fine  transparent  green,  for  the  above  purpose. 

^o^f.  We  have  given  in  the  Sixth  Chapter,  several  re- 
ceipts for  the  composition  of  sundry  transparent  colours. 
We  shall  therefore  take  the  liberty  thither  to  refer  the 
reader,  for  more  ample  satisfaction,  and  the  completion  of 
the  abovenientioned  operation. 

XLVI.  7b  give  the  abovetnentioned  painted  silks  all  the 
smell  and  fragrancy  of  the  India  ones. 

It  is  well  known,  that  the  silk,  and  other  things,  we  re- 
ceive from  India,  are  all  tamted  with  a  certain  particular 
smell,  and  agreeable  fragrancy, which  being  their  peculiar, 
distinctive,  and  most  obvious  character,  it  not  imitated  also, 
vyould  help  not  a  little  in  ruining  the  deception  intended  by 
the  above  labour.  To  imitate  therefore,  even  this,  you  must 
observe  the  following  direction.  Have  a  small  closet,  if  it 
be  for  works  at  large  ;  or  only  a  fine  basket  with  a  top  to 
it,  playing  upon  hinges,  stuffed  and  lined  all  over  in  the  in- 


32  SECRETS  IN  ARTS.  TRADES,  &c. 

side,  if  it  be  for  one  single  piece  of  silk.  Put  in  either  of 
them,  and  according  to  their  extent,  a  proportionable  quan- 
tity of  cloves,  whole  pepper,  mace,  nutmeg,  all- spice,  cam- 
phire.&c.&c.  Put  your  works  among  those  ingredients.and 
keep  either  the  closet  or  the  basket  perfectly  close  shut,  till 
you  see  the*'-  have  received  a  tull  impression  from  the  odoui' 
of  those  ingredients. 

N  B.  With  the  various  compositions  of  vsrnishes,  and 
preparations  of  colours,  we  have  just  given,  there  is  ai;-nost 
no  sort  of  works,  coming  from  the  Indies,  but  can  be  per- 
formed and  imitated. 

XLVII.   The  true  receifit  of  the  English  varnish,  such  as 
is  laid  on  sticks  and  artijicial  raade  canes. 

Smoothen  and  polish  well  your  sticks  ;  then  rub  them,  or 
your  artificial  made  canes,  with  a  paste  made  of  flour  Then 
having  diluted  in  water  a  discretional  quantity  of  Flennsh 
glue  and  red  orpine,  give  one  coat  of  this,  verv  smooth  and 
equal,  to  your  sticks.  If  after  this  is  dry,  you  do  not  think 
it  sufficient,  give  them  another,  and  let  them  dry  Then, 
gite  them  a  third  coat  of  clear  varnish,  made  with  tur- 
pentine and  spirit  ot  wine.  After  this  is  done,  put  a-soaking 
in  an  equal  quantity  of  water  and  chamber- lye,  some  turn- 
sol,  cut  very  small.  With  this  colour  you  touch  your  sticks, 
or  canes,  here  and  there  with  a  hair  brush.  Then  holding 
them  perpendicular,  on  their  small  ends,  between  both 
your  hands,  ycu  roll  them  quick  and  brisk, (aswhen you  mill 
chocolate)  in  contrary  senses.  This  operation  gives  them 
a  negligent  and  natural  like  marbling,  over  which  you  are 
to  lay  another  coat  of  varnish,  and  set  them  to  dry. 

XLVIII.  AJine  varnish  for  all  sorts  of  colours. 

1.  Take  two  pounds  of  double  rectified  spirit  of  wine  j 
seed  lac,  four  ounces  ;  sandirak,  as  much  ;  gum  copal, 
one.  Set  all  a  dissolving  on  hot  ashes,  in  a  matrass,  or  a 
vessel  with  a  long  neck.  When  perfectly  dissolved, 
strain  it  through  a  jelly  bag,  made  of  new  cloth.  Mix 
with  that  which  shall  have  strained  out  of  the  bag,  one 
spoonful  of  oil  of  turpentine  ;  then  bottle  and  stop  it  well, 
and  set  it  in  the  sun-  There  will  happen  a  separation,  and 
a  certain  coarser  part  will  shew  itself  at  the  bottom,  while 
another  more  clear  will  appear  syimming  on  the  top. 
Divide  carefully,  by  inclination,  the  clearest  from  the 
thickest  part. 

2.  This  last  you  may  u.sewith  finelampblack,  well  picked 
and  free  from  all  sorts  of  hard  knobs.to  make  a  black  colour 
varnish.  With  it  you  rub  whatsver  you  want  tobevarnished. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  S3 

andiay  one,  two,  or  three  coats  of  it,  more  or  less,  accord- 
ing as  you  think  proper,  letting  it  dry  between  each  coat. 
And,  when  this  is  done,  you  put  of  fhe  first  separated 
clear  part  of  your  varnish,  as  iTiUCh  as  you  find  requisite 
to  give  your  work  a  fine  lustre. 

N.  B.  It  is  proper  there  should  be  some  fire  so  near  to 
the  work,  as  it  nnay  receive  irom  it  some  gentle  heat 
■while  all  this  is  performing  ;  and  when  ihe  whole  is  well 
executed,  you  must  let  dry  in  the  shade  what  is  varnished, 
and  guard  it  agamst  the  dust. 

3.  if,  instead  of  black,  you  want  a  red  colour,  you  must 
from  the  very  beginning  of  the  operation,  join  some  taca^ 
mahaca  gum  with  the  spirit  of  wme  of  double  rectifica- 
tion abovementioned  ;  and,  in  lieu  of  lampblack,  in  the 
second  part  of  the  operation,  you  put  some  cinnabar  in 
powder.  Then,  when  you  have  done  with  laying  the  sev- 
eral coats  of  varnish,  in  which  the  cinnabar  is,  you  put  in 
the  clear  varnish,  which  is  destined  to  make  the  last  coats 
for  lustring,  some  dragon's  blood  in  tears. 

4,  You  may  put,  in  the  same  manner,  whitening  in  your 
varnish,  if  you  want  it  white  ;  or  verdigrease,  if  you  want 
it  green  ;  and  so  on  any  other  colour  you  want  it  to  be, 
proceeding,  in  respect  to  each  of  them,  as  before  directed 
for  the  others. 

N.  B.  These  varnishes  when  dry,  do  all  require  to  be 
polished.  For  that  purpose,  take  a  cloth,  dip  in  tripoly, 
and  rub,  with  moderation,  over  the  last  coat  of  varnish, 
till  you  find  it  has  acquired  a  sufficient  degree  of  lustre 
and  equalit)'. 

XLIX,  ^  varnish  to  lay  on^  after  the  mnglass. 

Take  spirit  of  wine,  four  pounds  ;  white  amber,  four- 
teen ounces  ;  mastich,  one  ;  sand^rak,  seven.  Put  all  in 
digestion  for  twenty-four  hours.  Ihen,  set  the  matrass- 
on  the  sand,  and  give  the  fire  for  three  hours,  till  all  is 
perfectly  dissolved.  Add  after  four  ouixes  ot  turpen- 
tine oil. 

L.  A  varnish  to  gild  with,  without  gold- 
Take  half  a  pint  of  spirit  of  wine,  in  which  dissolve  one 
drachmot  saffron, and  half  a  diachm  of  dragon's  blood, both 
previously  well  pulverised  together.  Add  this  to  a  cer- 
tain quantity  of  shell  lac  varnish,  and  set  it  on  the  fire, 
with  two  drachms  of  socco trine  aloes.  *'" 

LI.  ^  varnish  water-proof. 

1.  Take  lintseed  oil,  the  purest  you  can  find  put  it  in  ?. 
D2 


34  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

well  glazed  pipkin,  over  red  hot  charcoals,  in  a  chafing- 
dish.  With  that  oil  add,  while  a  warming,  about  the 
fourth  part  of  its  weight  in  rosin.  Make  all  dissolve  to- 
gether, and  boil  gently,  lest  it  should  run  over  the  pot.  At 
first  the  oil  will  turn  all  into  a  scum  ;  but,  continuing  to 
let  it  boil,  that  scum  will  insensibly  wasie  itself,  and  dis- 
appear at  last.  Keep  up  the  fire  till  taking  a  little  of  that 
oil  with  a  stick,  you  see  it  draw  to  a  threadlike  as  varnish 
does.  Tlien  take  it  off  from  the  fire.  But  if,  trying  it  thus, 
it  prove  too  thin,  add  some  more  rosin  to  it,  and  continue 
to  boil  it. 

2.  When  it  is  come  as  it  ought  to  be,  varnish  whatever 
you  want  with  it,  and  set  it  in  the  sun  to  dry,  or  before  the 
ifire,  for  it  cannot  dry  without  the  assistance  of  either 
of  these. 

N.  B  This  composition  of  varnish  has  this  particular 
property,  viz-  that  if  you  lav  it  on  wooden  wares,  hot  wa- 
ter itself  cannot  hurt  it,  nor  have  the  least  power  on  it. 
You  may  therefore  make  a  very  extensive  use  of  it-  But 
you  must  take  care  to  choose  the  fiiiest  and  most  perfect 
rosin,  and  to  boil  it  well  for  a  long  time. 

Qu'  re-  Would  not  such  varnish  be  extremely  useful  to 
preserve  what  is  muck  exposed  to  the  injuries  of  the 
weather,  in  gardens  and  elsewhere,  such  as  sashes,  stat- 
ues, frames,  hot-houses,  4cc. 


Lll.  Callot's  varnishy  mentioned  in  Chafi.  I.  fi-  5. 


1.  Take  two  ounces  of  the  finest  lintseed  oil ;  benjaminj, 
in  drops,  twod.achms;  virgin  wax,  the  bulk  of  a  filbert. 
Boil  all  his  together,  till  it  is  reduced  to  one  chird  ;  and, 
while  it  is  a  boiling,  never  cease  lo  stir  with  a  little  stick. 
When  done,  bottle,  or  put  it  in  a  laree  mouthed  vessel. 

2  To  use  that  variii>h,  war  n  a  I  ttle  the  plate  vou  in- 
tend to  engrave  upon  ;  ai)d  taking  a  littie  of  the  varnish 
with  the  tip  of  your  finger,  spread  ii  delicately  over  the 
plate.  Observe  to  put  as  little  of  it  as  you  can,  and  to  lay  it 
on  as  smooth  and  equal  as  possi!)!e.  When  done,  smoke 
the  plate  on  the  varnishec  sid  ,  with  a  candle,  passing 
and  repassinvj  it  gently  over  the  fiane  of  it,  till  it  is  black 
^very  where-  Set  it  atj^ain.row,  on  the  chafingdish,  wherein 
there  ar-"  kindled  charcoals;  and  uhen  the  plate  has  done 
fuming,  then  the  varnish  is  si  flBciently  hardened  You 
may  then  chalk,  dra.w  and  etch,  whatever  you  will  on  it. 

Such  is  the  true  receipt  of  the  varnish,  which  the  fa- 
mous Callof  made  use  of  to  engrave  his  most  adcQired 
aad  truly  admirable  subjects. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  35 

LIII.    A  varnish  to  lay  on  fiafier. 

Begin  by  laying  on  your  paper  one  first  coat  of  very 
clear  and  thin  size.  This  being  dry,  melt  three  parts 
of  oil  of  spike  and  one  of  rosin  together  ;  and,  when 
come  to  the  consistence  of  a  varnish,  you  lay  one  second 
and  light  coat  ot  this  over  the  first  made  with  size.  This 
varnish  is  very  fine,  when  very  smoothly  and  equally  laid 

OD. 

LIV.  Another  varnish. 

Take  mastich  and  sandarak,  equal  parts,  of  each 
two  ounces.  Pound  them  into  a  fine  powder.  Have  three 
ounces  of  lintseedoil,  and  as  much  of  spirit  of  wine,  in 
which  being  mixed,  you  put  your  powders.  Set  this  in  a 
well  stopped  matrass,  in  a  balneo  mariea,  to  boil  and  con- 
coct together  for  one  hour ;  and  this  varnish  is  done. 

LV.    L*Abbe  Mulct's  varnish. 

Take  of  spike  oil,  one  ounce,  pulverised  sandarak,  half 
an  outice.  Put  all  in  a  bottle,  and  set  it  in  the  sim  till  per- 
fectly dissolved.  This  composition  is  particularly  fit.  to 
varnish  gold  or  silver,in  shell, which  has  been  laid  on  with 
a  hair  pencil. 

LVI.    A  varnish  to  layover  filaister  works,  or  figures. 

Take  fine  white  Alicante  soap,  rasp  it  fine,  and  put  it 
in  a  glazed  pipkin.  Dissolve  that  soap,  in  the  pipkin, 
with  your  finger  and  a  littl  ^  water,  added  gradually,  and 
little  at  a  time,  till  it  comes  thick  and  milky.  Cover  this, 
for  fear  dust  should  come  to  it,  and  let  it  rest  so  for  seven 
or  eight  days-  Take,  next,  a  soft  and  short  hairy  brushy 
dip  it  in  this  soapy  preparation,  and  wash  the  plaister  fig- 
ure all  over  with  it, then  set  it  a  drying-  When  dry,  rub  it 
gently  with  a  pieceotcloth,placing  yourself  between  it  and 
the  light,  that  you  may  perceive  better  the  places  which 
take  the  polish  ;  when  done  thus  every  where,  your  statue 
will  appear  as  white,  shiny,  and  beautiful,  as  alabaster. 

LVII.    A  very  fine  red  varnish, 

1.  Take  oil  of  spike,  one  pound,  and  litharge  as  much. 
Boil  bt)th  together,  for  one  quarter  of  an  hour,  in  order 
to  clarify  the  oil,  or,  what  is  called,  ungreasing  it.  When 
thus  clarified,  take  one  pound  of  it,  and  six  ounc -sof  shell- 
lac^  which  melt  together  in  a  matrass,  or  a  varnished 


36  SECRETS  )N  ARTS,  TRADES,  ace. 

pipkin.  Then»  dilute  it  in  some  cinnabar,  which  had  pre- 
viously been  grinded  on  a  stone  with,  chamber-lye>  and 
the  varnish  is  done. 

2.  Of  this  composition,  lay  first  three  or  four  coats  on 
your  work,  and  allow  tinne  sufficient,  between  each  coat, 
to  dry,  when  the  last  is  given,  lay  on  another  of  pure  and 
clear  varnish,  without  cinnabar,  made  with  one  part  spirit 
of  wine,  and  four  of  oil  of  spike,  and  some  shell  lac. 

LVIII.  A  •varnish  to  gild  certain  fiarts  ofstamfied  leathers^ 
silvered  in  some  filaces  with  fieivter  teaves)  and  othtrnvise 
adorned  with  running  stalks  ofjiowers^  various  colours, 
figures,  and  other  sorts  of  embellishmtnts- 

.1.  Take  lintseed  oih  three  pounds  ;  of  that  sort  of  var- 
ri^  called  Arabian  sandarak,  and  rough  pitch,  equal 
quantities,  one  pound  each  ;  and  saffron,  half  an  ounce. 
Instead  of  saffron,  you  had  better,  if  you  have  that  oppor- 
tunity, make  use  of  the  staminus  of  hlies,  which  are  infi- 
nitely preferable.  Put  all  into  a  varnished  pipkin, and  set  it 
over  thi- fire.  Take  great  care  not  to  have  it  burn  ;  and,  to 
avoid  it,  keep  continully  stirring  the  matter  wiih  a  spatula. 
When  you  want  to  know  whether  it  be  or  not  sufficiently 
done,  have  a  hen's  feather,  just'dip it  in,  and  off  quiciily.  If 
the  feather  be  grizzled,  it  is  a  proof  the  matter  has  suf- 
ficiently boiled.  Therefore,  take  it  off  from  the  fire  and 
throw  in  one  pound  of  well  chosen  and  picked  hepatica 
aloes,  in  powder.  Mix  well  this  with  the  spatula,  and  set 
it  again  on  the  fire,  to  concoct  well  this  addition  whh  the 
rest.  If  you  see  that  your  matter  boils  and  swells,  you 
must  take  it  off,  and  let  it  rest  awhile  ;  during  which  time, 
take  some  of  the  coals  away.  Set  it  now  again  upon  this 
more  moderate  fire,  stirring  always  well,  that  all  may  be 
perfectly  incorporated.  As  soon  as  this  is  done,  take  it 
off,  let  it  cool  a  little,  and  strain  it  through  a  strong  coarse 
cloth,  and  keep  it  for  the  following  use. 

2.  Apply  the  silver,  or  pewter  leaves,  on  the  leather, 
■with  the  white  of  an  egg,  or  gum- water.  When  these, 
are  properly  laid  on,  give  one  coat  of  the  above  varnish, 
quite  warm,  on  such  places  as  you  want  to  appear  gilt, 
and  set  it  in  the  sun.    When  dry,  it  looks  like  gold. 

N-  B,  The  Arabian  sandarak,  we  have  prescribed  a- 
bove,  is  known  by  some,  under  the  denomination  of  Gum 
of  Jupiter • 

LIX.  An  excellent  varnish-    • 

Put  in  a  glass  bottle,  one  pound  of  white  mastick.  Pour 
over  it  oil  sufficient  to  cover  it.  Place  the  bottle  over  the 
coals,  or  very  hot  asshes*    The  mastick  will  melt-    Take 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  3/ 

the  bottle  off  the  fire  and  shake  it  well,  to  see  that  the 
whole  be  perfectly  dissolved.  This  varnish  is  very  good 
to  lay  over  prints,  statues,  columns,  wood,  &c. 

LX.  A  curious  and  easy  varnish  to  engrave  with  aqua- 
fortis. 

Lay  on  a  copper  plate,  as  smooth  and  equal  a  coat  as 
you  can  of  Lintseed  oil.  Set  tht  plate  on  a  c.hafingdish 
in  which  there  is  a  gentle  heat  of  half  consumed  charcoal, 
that  the  oil  may  congeal  and  dry  itself  gently  on.  When 
it  has  acquired  the  consistence  of  a  varnish,  you  may  draw 
with  a  steel  point  in  order  to  etch  your  copper  and  put 
on  the  aquafortis  afterwards. 

LXI.  A  most  beautiful  Chinese  varnish. 

Take  one  ounce  of  the  whitest  amber,  or  instead  of  this, 
the  same  quantity  of  the  whitest  gum  copal ;  lour  drachms 
of  sandarak  ;  two  drachms  of  fine  ma&tick  in  drops  Put 
all  this  reduced  into  a  powder,  in  a  fine  glass  matrass  ; 
then  pour  over  it  one  of  the  finest  turpentine  oil.  Stop  the 
iFiatrass  first  with  a  cork,  then  with  a  bladder  wetted.  Set 
this  to  infuse  over  a  slow  fire  for  twelve  hours.  After 
this  uncork  the  matrass  and  let  it  cool  ;  then  pour  gently 
in  it,  six  ounces  of  good  spirit  of  wine,  and  stop  it  again 
as  well  as  before.  In  that  situation  set  it  on  ember  ash- 
es, or  rather  in  balnea  marie.  In  the  space  of  another 
twelve  hours,  you  will  find  that  the  spirit  of  wine  will  have 
dissolved  all  the  gums.  Then  while  the  varnish  is  still 
quite  warm  strain  it  through  a  cloth  ;  bottle  and  cork  it, 
to  keep  for  use. 

LXIJ.  A  varnish  to  render  transparent  the  imfirfssion  of 
a/innt  iv/iich  has  been  glutd  on  gla&s^  and  the  /lujier 
scratched  off. 

Take  turpentine,  and  a  very  little  oil  of  the  same  spirit. 
Dilute  all  well  toKether,  and  lay  one  coat  on  the  strokes 
of  engraving  which  are  left  fixed  on  the  glass. 

LXIH.  The  varnish  fit  for  Bronzing. 

Pound  into  subtile  powder,  one  ounce  of  the  finest  shell- 
lac.  Put  it  into  a  glass  matrass  of  three  half  pints  size. 
Pour  upon  it  half  a  pint  of  the  best  French  spirit  of  wine. 
Stop  it  well,  and  place  it  in  the  cool  for  four  day  s,that  the  lac 
may  have  time  to  dissolve  at  leisure.  During  that  time  shake. 


38  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

the  matrass,  as  if  you  were  washing  it,  four  or  five  times  a 
day,  for  fear  the  lac  should  make  a  glutinous  lump,  and 
stick  to  the  bottom.  Should  your  lac,  at  the  end  of  these 
four  days  be  vet  undissolved,  set  it  on  a  gentle  sand  bath, 
to  help  finishing  it  ;  and  when  dissolved  to  perfection  the 
varnish  is  done. 

.Yote.  Pour  the  spirit  of  wine  on  the  lac  gently,  and  a 
little  at  a  time,  that  it  may  penetrate  the  powder  the 
better.  Also  stop  pouring  by  intervals,  and  shake  the 
matrass  as  it  were  for  rmsing,  in  order  to  mix  all  well  \ 
thus  do  till  you  have  poured  all  the  spirit  of  wine  upon  the 
lac. 


CHAP.  IV. 

SECRETS  RELATIVE  TO  MASTICHS,  CEMENTS,  SEAL- 
ING-WAX,  &c.  &o. 

I.  A  subtile  mastich  to  mend  all  sorts  of  broken  vessels, 

TAKE  whites  of  eggs  and  beat  them  well  to  a  froth, 
Add  to  this  sett  curd  cheese  and  quick-lime,  and  begin 
beating  a-new  all  together.  This  m::y  be  used  in  mending 
whatever  you  will,  even  glasses,  and  will  stand  both  fire 
and  water. 

II.  A  mastich  for  broken  wares. 

Pound  a  stone  jar  into  an  impalpable  powder,  and  add 
to  it  some  whites  of  eggs  and  quick-lime- 

III.  Another  Mastich. 

Take  quick-lime,  cotton  and  oil,  of  each  equal  parts  in 
weight. 

IV.  A  cement. 

Take  rosin,  one  ounce  ;  grinded  tile,  half  aa  ounce  ; 
mastich,  four  ounces- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  39 

V.  A  glue  to  lay  upon  ^old. 

Boil  an  eel*sskin»  and  a  little  quick-lime  together;  Avhen 
boiled  gently  for  the  space  of  half  an  hour,  strain  it,  and 
add  some  whites  of  eggs  beaten  ;  bottle,  and  keep  it  for 
use.  The  method  to  use  it  afterwards,  is  to  warm  it,  and 
lay  a  coat  of  it  on  marble,  delph.  Worcester,  Stafford,  or 
any  other  earthen  wares,  &c.  ar.d  when  nearly  dry,  write, 
paint,  or  draw  what  you  please  on  with  a  pencil,  and  gold 
in  shell- 

VI.  A  size. 

Take  half  a  pound  of  fresh  cod's  tripes,  boil  it«in  two 
quarts  of  white  wine,  reduced  to  one- third  To  take  off 
the  bad  smell,  add,  while  it  boils,  a  little  cloves  and  cin- 
naiBon.  Then  throw  this  size  in  whatever  mould  you 
please,  to  make  it  in  flakes. 

VU.  An  exceeding  good  size^  called  Orleans  size. 

Take  the  whitest  isinglass  you  can  find;  soak  it  in 
finely  filtered  quick-lime  water.during  twenty-four  hours. 
When  that  time  is  over,  take  it  off  bit  by  bit,  and  boil  it  in 
common  water. 

VIII.  Another  for  the  same  fiurfiose ^  which  resists  water. 

Take  quick  lime,  turpentine,  and  soft  curd  cheese. 
Mix  tliese  well  together ;  and,  with  a  point  of  a  knife,  put 
of  this  on  the  edges  of  the  broken  pieces  of  your  ware, 
then  join  them  together- 

IX.  A  cold  cement  for  cisterns  and  fountains* 

Take  litharge  and  boil  in  powder,  of  each  two  pounds  ; 
yellow  ochre  and  rosin,  of  each  four  ounces ;  mutton  suet, 
five  ounces  ;  mastich  and  turpentine,  of  each  two  ounces ; 
oil  of  nuts,  a  sufficient  quantity  to  render  malleable. 
Work  these  all  together  ;  and  then  it  is  fit  for  use- 

X.  A  lute  to  join  broken  vessels. 

Dissolve  gum  arabic  in  chamber-lye  over  a  chafingdish ; 
stir  with  a  stick  till  perfectly  dissolved,  then  add  an 
equal  weight  of  flour,  as  you  had  of  gum  arabic,  and  con- 
coct the  whole  for  one  quarter  of  an  hour,  or  more,  if  re- 
quisite. 


40  SECRETS  IN  ARTS.  TRADP:S,  8cc 

XI.  A  strong  glue  with  soft  cheese. 

1.  Take  a  cheese  from  Auvergne.  Let  it  be  the  fattest 
and  newest  you  can  find,  neither  dry  nor  moist;  wash  it 
in  very  warm  water,  so  long  as  it  should  remain  clear  ; 
then  set  it  to  rot  in  clean  water,  till  it  begins  to  stink.  As 
soon  as  you  find  it  is  so,  boil  it  in  water  wih  quick-lime  ; 
and  when  dissolved  into  a  glue,  take  it  off  from  the  fire, 
it  is  done. 

2  If  you  dry  some  whites  of  eggs  in  the  sun,  and  then 
pounding  them  into  powder,  you  shall  add  some  of  that 
powder  with  the  cheese  when  you  dissolve  it  along  with 
the  11  «:e,  the  glue  will  be  so  much  the  stronger. 

N  R,  (3bserve  that  no  other  cheese,  besides  that  which 
coaies  from  Auvergne,  has  the  quality  requisite  for  this 
composition. 

XII.  To  make  a  strong  masiich. 

Take  one  pound  of  rosin,  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  shoe- 
makers rosin,  two  ounces  of  new  wax,  two  of  black  pitch, 
and  one  of  tallow.  Boil  all  gently  together  on  a  slow 
fire;  and  when  well  incorporated  together,  add  some 
br^ck  dust,  finely  sifted,  according  to  discretion. 

N.B.  The  quantity  of  tallow  is  to  be  proportioned  to  the 
degree  of  dryness  you  require  in  this  composition  ;  so  that 
you  may  on  that  principle,  discretionally  increase  or  di- 
minish the  prescribed  dose  of  that  ingredient. 

XIII.  Sealing  wax-    Recipe  1st. 

Take  one  pound  of  shell-lac,  benjamin  and  black  rosin, 
half  an  ounce  each,  vermilion,  eight  drachms  ;  the  whole 
being  melted,  make  your  sticks  on  a  marble  table,  rub- 
bed over  with  oil  of  sweet  almonds,  and  take  care  to  have 
done  before  the  wax  is  cold. 

XIV.  Another,    Recipe  2d. 

Take  turpentine  and  sailors's  pitch,  six  drachms  of 
each  ;  either  shall-lac,  or  dragon's  blood,  one ;  sulphur 
cricinum,  two.  Mix  and  incorporate  all  together  over 
the  fire,  and  form  your  sticks. 

XV.  Another-    Recipe  3d. 

Take  gum  haderacea,  shell-lac,  sandarak  of  the  ancients 
otherwise  printer's  rosin,  and    mastich,  two  ounces  of 


:«■■■ 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  41 

each  ;  rosin,  four  ounces,  turpentine,  half  an  ounce.  Mix 
all  in  a  very  warm  bell- metal  mortar,  and  make  your 
sticks. 

XVI.  Another.  Recipe    4th. 

Take  shell- lac  and  mastlch,  of  each  one  ounce;  dra- 
gons's  blood,  three  ;  cinnabar,  half  an  ounce  ;  turpentinCj 
one.    Mix  all,  and  make  your  sticks, 

XVII.  Another.  Recipe    5th. 

Take  Greek  pitch,  one  pound;  white  mastich,  five; 
frankincense,  five  ounces  ;  cinnabar,  as  much  as  you  see 
requisite  to  give  the  red  colour.  Put  the  pitch  first  on 
the  fire  to  melt ;  next  put  the  rr.astich,  and  the  powder 
of  frankincense  ;  and  last  of  all,  the  cinnabar  grinded 
■with  a  little  oil.  Incorporate  all  well  and  take  it  from 
the  fire,  to  make  your  sticks- 

XVIIL  Another.  Recipe  6th. 

Take  shell-lac,  twelve  ounces ;  mastich  and  rosin,  of 
each  one  ounce ;  dragon's  blood,  three  ;  minium,  half 
an  ounce.  Dissolve  the  shell  lac  in  vinegar  :  add  if  you 
will  some  turpentine  oil  and  sulphur,  to  the  quantity  of 
four  ounces  of  each,  and  two  of  ammoniac  salt.  The 
whole  being  melted,  make  as  fast  as  you  can,  your  sticks 
of  the  form  and  size  you  like. 

XIX.  Another.    Recipe  Tth,    Excessively  good^ 

1.  Take  shell-lac,  &c.  pound  them  all  into  a  very 
fine  and  impalpable  powder.  Then  have  two  wooden 
pallets  present  upon  them,  before  the  fire  some  powder 
of  one  sort  to  melt,  them  move  and  stir  it  with  the  said 
pallets.  Take  again  of  another  povvdet  in  the  same  man- 
ner, and  mix  it  in  the  same  way  before  the  fire  with  the 
first.  Then  another  and  another,  till  they  are  all  by 
this  method,  perfectly  well  amalgamated  together. 

2-  Have  now  some  cinnabar  in  powder,  which  put  in 
a  pan  with  water.  In  that  water  and  cinnabar  powders, 
set  to  infuse,  or  only  touch  your  incorporated  gums,  to 
make  this  composition  take  colour.  When  thus  suf- 
ficiently coloured,  take  it  out  of  the  water  with  both 
your  hands  and  the  wooden  pallets,  and  have  a  person 
to  help  you.  Thus  having  wetted  his  hand,  will  draw- 
some  of  the  said  gum,  and  handling  it  on  a  table,  wjU 
form  the  sticks.  For  two  pounds  of  gums,  two  ounces  of 
cinnabar  are  wanted- 

K 


42  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  kc. 

XX.    Another.  Recipe    8th. 

Take  gum-lac,  four  ounces,  cinnabar,  half  an  ounce, 
rosin,  four  and  a  half.  Melt  the  rosin  with  a  little  vine- 
gar and  skim  it.  Then  take  it  out  of  the  fire,  then  mix  it 
with  the  lac  and  vermillion  both  well  pulverised,  and 
when  the  composition  begins  to  cool,  from  your  sticks 
with  it. 

XXI.  An  excellent  sealing  wax,  by  Girardot.  Recipe  9th. 

Put  four  ounces  of  rosin,  and  four  and  a  half  of  whiten- 
ing, and  melt  them  together  in  a  non-varnished  pipkin, 
over  kindled  coals.  While  this  is  in  fusion,  have  another 
pot,  similar  to  this,  in  which  you  keep  two  ounces  of  shell- 
lac,  in  dissolution  with  vinegar-  Now  steep  a  wooden 
stick  in  the  first  pot,  and  another  in  the  other  pot ;  then, 
hver  a  chafingdish  turn  quickly,  one  over  another,  the 
ends  of  your  two  sticks  toi^ether,  to  mix  and  incorporate 
well  what  matter  they  shall  have  brought  along  with 
them  from  each  pipkin.  And  after  having  turned  them 
thus  a  reasonable  time,  you  see  both  matters  are  well 
embodified,  steep  them,  at  different  times,  in  the  follow- 
ing liquor  to  colour  them. 

XXII.  A  colour  for  the  above  wax- 

Grind  upon  a  porphyry  table,  two  ounces  of  cinnabar, 
with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  nut-oil,  to  make  it  a  liquid. 
In  this  you  dip  your  sticks  at  several  times,  and  take  care 
in  doing  it,  the  composition  should  not  grow  cold.  Where- 
fore you  must  each  time  you  steep  them  in  the  colour, 
carry  them  again  «ver  the  chafingdish  to  keep  them  in 
a  due  state  ot  mallability.  And  when  you  find  the  mat- 
ter sufficiently  tinged  with  red,  form  your  sticks  as  usual, 
on  a  marble  or  well  polished  table. 

XXIII.  To  make  sealing  wafers. 

Take  very  fine  flour,  mix  it  with  glair  of  eggs,  ising- 
lass, and  a  little  yeast ;  mingle  the  materials  ;  beat  them 
well  together,  make  the  batter  thin  with  gum  water,  and 
spread  it  even  on  tin  plates,  and  dry  it  in  stoves;  then 
cut  them  for  use.  You  may  make  them  what  colour  you 
please,  by  colouring  the  paste,  say  with  Brazil,  or  Ver- 
million for  red  ;  Indigo  5;c.  for  blue,  &c- 


[     43     3 


CHAP.  V. 


SECRETS  OF  GLASS  MANUFACTORY,  AND  THE 
MAKING  COMPOSITIONS  TO  IMITATE  PRECIOUS 
STONES,  COMMONLY  CALLED  FRENCH  PASTE, 


I.  A  cement  to  render  crystal  like  diamonds^  mid  give  t/ic 
sapphires  of  ALenson  a  hardness  to  cut  glass  toith  ease. 

Make  a  strong  dough  with  sifted  barley  flour  and  petro- 
ly  (or  rock  oil  )  Divide  this  paste  in  two  equal  parts.  In 
one  of  them  range  your  stones,  so  that  they  should  not 
touch  one  another.  With  the  other  part  of  your  paste  co- 
ver this.  Wrap  up  the  whole  with  a  p;ood  lute,  and  give 
it  a  wheel  fire  for  four  or  five  hours,  gradually  increasing 
the  strength  of  the  fire  between  every  two  hi  urs.  Then 
you  will  have  a  lump  of  stones,  which  will  sparkle  like 
true  diamonds. 

n.   A  way  of  making  diamonds. 

Grind  on  marble,  equal  quantities  in  weight  of  calcined 
silver,  and  French  loadstone.  Stratify  in  a  crucible,  your 
crystal  stones,  ready  cut  in  imitation  of  diamonds,  with  this 
powder.  Cover  it  with  another  crucible,  and  lute  it  well. 
Then  set  it  in  a  glass-maker's  furnace,  for  one  month. 

Ill  7b  soften  crystal,  or  any  other  coloured  stone,  so  that 
you  may  cut  it  like  cheese  ;  a?id  restore  it  afterwards  to 
its  primary  haraness- 

1.  Take,  in  the  month  of  August,  grose's  and  goat's 
blood 

Let  each  of  them  dry  till  very  hard.  When  you  want 
to  soften  your  stones,  take  an  equal  quantity  of  each  blood, 
pulverise  it  and  put  it  in  a  pot.  then  pour  over  a  strong  lye 
made  of  pearl  ashes.  Leave  it  so  for  a  while,  stirring  of- 
ten ;  then  add  about  a  pint  of  strong  vinegar  In  this  pre- 
paration, if  you  set  your  stones>  and  warm  it  a  little  over 
the  fire,  they  will  become  so  soft,  that  you  may  take  and 
cut,  or  form  them  afterwards  as  you  will. 

2.  To  restore  them  attain  to  their  former  hardness,  put 
them  in  cold  water,  and  let  them  there  1  ly  for  about  one 
hour  and  a  quarter,  it  will  be  quite  sufficient. 


44  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

3.  But  to  give  them  their  lustre  again,  you  must  take  anti- 
mony in  powder,  spread  it  on  a  very  smooth  leaden  table, 
then  polish  your  stones  on  this.  It  will  restore  them  to 
their  brightness  as  before. 

IV.   Another  equally  useful  to  soften  crystal  and  steel 

Make  a  strong  lye  of  quick  lime  and  pearl  ashes,  Run 
it  nine  or  ten  times  more  over  new  lime  and  new  pearl 
ashes,  each  time.  Then  put  to  soak,  in  this  preparation, 
any  piece  of  crystal  or  steel,  for  the  space  of  twenty-four 
hours,  and  you  will  see  what  a  surprising  degree  of  soft- 
ness they  will  have  acquired  by  it. 

V.   AjiastCj  which  will  produce  as  beautiful  euieralds  as 
natural  ones- 

Calcine,  six  different  times,  rock  crystal,  and  plunge  it, 
as  many  times,  in  pure  cold  v.ater.  Grind  it  into  powder, 
on  a  rock  crystal  stone,  with  a  muUar  of  the  same.  When 
you  have  rendered  the  powder  very  fine  and  impalpable,  to 
one  pound  of  it,  add  another  of  salt  of  tartar,  drawn  from 
red  tartar,  mixed  well.  Join  to  this,  sixty  grains  of  red 
copper,  and  fifteen  of  silver,  both  in  shell,  but  grinded  se- 
parately. Now  mix  the  last  powders  with  the  former,  on 
a  njarble  stone,  and  put  all  together  in  a  clean  and  double 
nealed  crucible.  Lute  it  well  with  its  lid,  and  when  the 
lute  is  perfectly  dry,  put  the  crucible  for  six  days  on  a  clear 
but  gentle  fire  ;  then  increase  the  fire  till  the  crucible  be- 
comes red  hot.  place  it  immediately  in  the  ardent  and  glass 
melting  furnace,  and  keep  it  there  in  the  same  degree  of 
heat  for  a  month,  without  interruption.  Then  let  the  cru- 
cible cool  gradually  in  the  furnace,  which  is  done  by  let- 
ting the  fire  go  out  of  itstlf.  having  previously  stopped  all 
the  holes  and  openings  of  the  furnace.  When  you  break 
it,  vou  will  find  a  beautiful  green,  which  is  fit  to  cut  by  the 
lapidary. 

J\'ote.  Be  careful  of  this  composition,  for  it  has  all  the 
merit  and  a-ivautage  of  the  true  emerald.  It  vies  with  it  in 
weight,  colour,  atid  hardness.  In  short,  the  greatest  con- 
noisseurs cannot  distinguish  these  emeralds  from  the  finest 
real  ones. 

VI.  A  comfiosUion^  the  fundamental  basis  of  all  ena?7iels. 

1.  Grind  on  marble,  and  sift  through  a  very  fine  sieve, 
equal  quantities  of  lead  and  pt- wter  calx.  Put  it  in  a  var- 
nished pipkin  filled  over  with  water.  Boil  it  som^  while ; 
then  pour  it  bv  inclination,  into  another  vessel.  Put  new 
v/ater,  to  boil  again  uver  ii»e  calx,  and  decant  it  as  before, 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  43 

on  the  first  water  :  >vhich  process  you  repeat  till  you  have 
entirely  dissolved  all  the  calx.  If  some  part  of  the  metal 
remain  at  the  bottom,  too  gross  to  be  entirely  carried  by 
the  waters,  it  must  be  put  in  a  melting-glass  furnace  to 
calcine,  having  care  to  take  out,  in  proportion  as  it  turns 
into  calx,  the  upper  part  of  the  matter.  When  it  is  all 
calcined,  continue  dissolving  it,  by  means  of  boiling  water, 
as  you  did  at  first.  When  you  have  got  all  your  waters  of 
dissolution,  vaporise  them  over  a  slow  fire  ;  and  particu- 
larly towards  the  end  of  the  evaporation,  have  a  singular 
care  that  the  fire  be  not  to  fierce,  which  then  remains  at 
the  bottom,  very  fine  and  subtihzed. 

2.  To  twenty-  five  pounds  of  this  calx  add  an  equal  weight 
of  frit,  made  of  tarce,  or  white  sand,  well  pounded  and  sift- 
ed through  a  very  fine  sieve,  and  four  ounces  of  white  salt 
of  tartar,  pounded  and  sifted  in  the  same  manner.  Put 
these  ingredients  in  a  melting- glass  furnace  ;  melt  and 
purge  them  there  for  ten  hours.  Then  having  taken  the 
pot  off  from  the  fire,  take  out  the  matter,  which,  after  ha- 
ving well  pulverised,  keep  it  in  a  close  dry  place,  where 
dust  cannot  come  at  it. —Such  is  the  first  and  principle  mat- 
ter to  be  used  in  the  composition  of  enamels,  ot  whatever 
sort  of  colour  you  want  to  make  them, 

VII.    To  make  an  enamel  as  white  as  milk. 

1.  To  six  pound  weight  of  the  matter  just  described,  put 
forty-eight  grains  of  magnesia,  prepared  as  follows. 

2.  Put  in  an  iron  spoon,  to  the  reverberating  fire,  the  bits 
of  magnesia,  rough  as  it  comes  from  the  mine.  When  it  is 
■whitened,  pour  good  vinegar  over  it,  then  break  it  small, 
and  wash  it  several  times  with  warm  water.  Dry,  pulve- 
rise, and  sift  it,  then  preseve  it  in  a  covered  pot  for  use. 

3.  This  magnesia,  and  primary  enamel  matter,  you  put 
in  the  above  prescribed  proportion,  in  a  crucible,  on  a  glass 
melting  fire,  then  throw  the  whole  contents  into  clear  wa- 
ter ;  dry  it  melt  it  again,  as  before,  and.  throw  it  in  the 
■water  again  and  so  on.  This  operation  repeat  three  times 
Being  thus  well  purified,  if  you  find  it  not  quite  white 
enough,  add  a  little  more  magnesia,  and  begin  the  same 
process  as  before.  Then  take  it  off  the  fire,  and  make  it 
into  small  round  cakes.  Such  is  the  method  of  preparing 
the  enamel  to  paint  with  on  gold,  and  other  metals. 

VIII.     To  make  an  enamel  turquoise  colour. 

Put  six  pounds  of  the  said  enamel  primary  matter  in  a 
varnished  crown-glass  pot.    Melt  and  purge  it  three  times 
as  usual  as  prescribed  in  the  preceding  article-    On  thcr 
E  2 


46  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec. 

third  time  project  at  four  seperate  times,  three  ounces  ot 
scories  of  copper,  prepared  as  directed  in  Art.  ix.  mixed 
■with  ninetv-six  grains  ot  zaffar  prepared  the  same  way 
exactly,  and  in  the  same  manner  as  the  magnesia,  and 
forty  ei?ht  of  that  very  magnesia,  in  subtile  powder.  Stir 
•well  the  matter  on  the  fire,  at  the  time  of  each  projection, 
with  a  long-handled  iron  hook ;  and  when  the  colour  seems 
to  be  to  your  liking,  take  it  out  of  the  fire,  and  make  into 
small  round  cakes  as  usual.  This  will  make  a  most  beau- 
tiful turquoise  enamel. 

IX.  Hoii)  to  fircfiare  the  scories  ofcopfierfor  the  above, 
p-urpose. 

This  preparation  is  very  simple.  Wash  first,  the  scories 
well,  and  set  them  to  calcine  three  days  at  the  entrance  of 
a  reverberatinjj  furnace.  Then  grind  this  and  sift  it.  Cal- 
cine again  as  before,  grind  and  sitt  the  same,  repeating  this 
operation  three  different  times.  When  finished,  it  is  cal- 
led a  calx  of  copper.  Of  this,  mix  three  ounces  with  forty- 
eight  grains  ofprepared  magnesia,  and  ninety-six  oi  zaffar 
also  prepared,  for  a  projection  on  enaiBel's  primary  mat- 
ter, to  make  a  fine  sort  ot  turquoise  colour- 

X.     To  make  blue  enamel. 

Put  in  a  varnished  crown  glass  pot,  in  a  melting  glass  fur- 
nace, four  pounds  of  common  primary  enamel  matter  ;  two 
ounces  of  zaffar,  and  forty-eight  grains  of  prepared  scories 
of  copper,  all  previously  well  pulverised  and  mixed. 
When  this  composition  is  in  good  fusion,  throw  it  in  water, 
then  dry  it,  and  put  it  again  in  the  same  pot-  Leave  it  there 
till  the  matter  is  well  incorporated,  and  proceed  as  direr 
ted  for  the  others. 

XI.     Tq  make  green  enamel 

1,  Melt  and  purge,  by  the  glass  melting  fire,  and  in  a 
varnished  crown  glass  pot,  four  pounds  of  the  primary 
enamel  matter.  Leave  it  there  twelve  hours,  after  which 
throw  it  in  water,  dry  it,  and  put  it  again  in  the  same  fire, 
for  the  same  time,  to  cleanse  it  well 

2-  Grind  into  a  very  subtile  powder,  some  of  the  afore- 
said scories  of  copper,  and  some  scories  ot  iron.  Mix  these 
powders  together,  viz.  two  ounces  ol  the  former,  and  forty- 
eight  grains  only  of  the  latter  ;  which,  being  divided  {into 
three  different  parcels,  project,  at  three  distinct  times,  on 
the  enamel  matter  in  f  usionjStirring  well  with  an  iron  hook 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  4,^ 

at  the  time  of  each  projection,  that  the  colour  may  better 
incorporate  ;  and  in  twelve  hours  afterwards  you  will 
find  a  very  fine  green  enamel. 

XII.  To  make  a  black  shining  enamel 

Take  of  our  primary  enamel  matter  in  powder,  four 
pounds;  red  tiirtar,  four  ounces;  and  of  our  prepared  mag- 
nesia, in  subtile  powder,  two.  Put  all  this  into  a  varnish- 
ed pipkin,  so  large  that  all  these  powders  together  shall 
not  come  higher  than  the  third  part  of  the  vessel,  this 
matter,  when  melted,  swell  very  much.  When  in  perfect 
fusion,  throw  it  into  water  ;  take  it  out  to  dry,  then  put  it 
again  in  the  pot,  and  purify  it  as  before  Do  so  till  you 
find  it  sufficiently  purified ;  then  take  the  pot  off  the  fire 
and  the  matter  out  of  ihe  pot. 

XIII.  To  make  enameUfiurfile  colour. 

Reduce  into  subtile  powder,  and  mix  well  together,  six 
pounds  of  our  primary  and  general  enamel  matter  ;  three 
ounces  of  prepared  magnesia,  and  six  ot  scories  of  copper, 
prepared  as  before  mentioned.  Melt  and  purity  all  this  in 
a  varnish  pipkin,  by  placing  it  in  a  melting  glass  furnace. 
When  in  good  fusion,  throw  this  matter  in  water  ;  dry  it, 
and  put  it  again  in  the  same  pot  to  purify  it  anew  by  the 
some  process,  if  you  find  your  colour  to  your  liking, 
takethepot  off  from  the  fire,  and  keep  your  enamel  for  use. 

XIV.  Another, 

Take  six  ounces  of  our  general  matter,  twoof  prepared 
magnesia,  and  forty-eight  grains  of  the  aforesaid  pre- 
paration of  scories  of  copper.  Pulverise,  and  proceed  as 
above.  This  composition  will  give  a  very  fine  purple  en- 
amel, fit  for  all  sorts  of  works  which  goldsmiths  will  em- 
ploy it  in. 

XV.  A  ijellow  enamel. 

Take,  and  reduce  into  a  very  fine  powder,  six  pounds  of 
the  general  matter  ;  three  ounct  s  of  tartar,  and  seventy- 
two  grains  of  prepared  magnesia.  Put  all  into  a  pot  large 
enough  not  to  lose  any  thing  of  the  matter  when  it  comes 
to  swell  at  the  time  of  its  fusion. 

XVI.  To  make  a  chrystaline  matter ^  which  serves  as  a  ba- 
sis  to  red-colour  enamels. 

1«  Take  twenty-four  pounds  of  salt,  drawn  from  tritura^ 


48  SECRET  IN  ARTS.  TRADES,  &c. 

tion,  lotion,  filteration,  and  evaporation  ;  and  sixteen 
pounds  of  white  tartar,  that  is  to  say,  of  white  and  transpa- 
rent river  pebbles,  calcined  and  reduced  into  an  impalpa- 
ble powder.  Both  these  ingredients  being  eqally  redaced 
into  a  subtile  powder,  mix  and  wet  them  so  as  to  make  a 
hard  paste  of  them,  of  which  you  will  form  small  thin 
cakes.  Put  these  cakes  in  pipkins,  and  place  th'^m  in  a 
lime  or  potter*s  kiln,  where  they  are  to  calcine  for  ten  hours. 
2.  When  these  cdkes  are  well  calcined,  reduce  them  in- 
to  a  subtile  powder,  add  four  pounds  of  lead  and  pewter 
calx  (prepared  and  subtilized  as  before  directed,  Art.  vi.) 
and  as  much  white  tartar  also  calcined  and  purified  by 
lotion,  &c.  These  three  last  ingredients  being  reduced 
into  a  subtile  powder,  put  chem  in  a  varnished  pipkin,  and 
place  them  in  a  melting  glass  furnace,  there  to  be  melted 
and  purified,  by  throwing  the  composition  ,when  in  fusion, 
into  water,  then  drying,  &c.  three  times^;  after  which  the 
whole  is  completed. 

XVII.  How  to  make  a  fine  firefiaration  o/"  fusible  magne- 
sia, to  be  emfiloyedin  the  7naking  of  red  enamels. 

1.  Take  whatever  quantity  of  magnesia  you  please 
Add  to  it  an  equal  quantity  of  nitre  prepared  by  lotion, 
filteration,  and  evaporation.  Set  this  matter  in  a  pipkin  to 
calcine  for  twenty-tour  hours  by  reverberating  fire.  Then 
take  it  out,  and  wash  it  with  warm  water,  to  cleanse  it  from 
all  the  nitre,  and  dry  it  When  this'magnesia  be  dry,  it 
■will  be  or  a  very  fine  red- 

2.  Now  add  to  it  its  equal  weight  of  armoniac  salt. 
Grind  all  well  on  a  marble  stone,  wetting  it  with  distilled 
vinegar,  so  that  it  comes  into  a  sort  of  clear  paste,  or  col- 
our for  painting. 

3.  Then  dry  this  matter  ;  and,  having  pulverised  it,  put 
it  a  subliming  in  a  strong  glass  matrass,  with  a  long  neck 
and  a  large  belly.  Give  it  the  sublimating  fire  for  twelve 
hours ;  break  the  matrass  ;  weigh  first  the  sublimed  part». 
and  mix  it  with  what  remained  at  the  bottom  ;  ac'd  as 
much  new  ammoniac  salt  as  you  had  weight  ot  sublimation. 
Grind  these  well  together,  wetting  them  with  vinegar, 
then  dry  and  sublime  again  as  before-  Renew  this  opera- 
tion so  many  times  as  will  bo  requisite,  that  the  magnesia 
remain  at  last  in  a  state  of  fusibility  at  the  bottom  of  the 
matrass. 

4  This  liquid  is  fit  for  staining  crystal  of  a  very  fine  ru- 
bv  hue ;  and,  when  employed  with  enamels,  will  rcndei": 
them  of  a  most  beautiful  red. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  49 

XVIII.  To  make  a  red  enamel,  of  a  beatitrfiU  ruby  hue. 

Put  twenty  ounces  of  the  above  fusible  magnesia,  to  one 
pound  of  the  crystaline  matter  (Art.  li  )  in  good  fusion.— 
Purify  the  whole  well,  and  try  the  colour. 

.Vote-  According  to  the  proportion  of  fusible  magnesia 
you  put  in  this  composition,  you  raise  or  lower  the  hue  of 
your  enamel.  And,  if  carried  to  the  degree  of  rubies,  it 
will  prove  bright  and  beautiful, 

XIX.  To  make  an  c?iatnelt  (rue  Balais-rwoy  colour: 

Take  ten  pounds  of  our  crystaline  matter.  Purge  it  in 
the  melting  glass  furnace,  by  fusing  it,  then  throwing  it  in 
water,  drying,  pulverising  and  melting  again.  Sec  three 
times.  Put  it  again  for  the  fourth  time  in  fusion ;  and, 
when  in  that  state,  give  it  the  purple  colour  by  means  of 
a  proper  quantity  of  fusible  magnesia,  as  mentioned  in  the 
preceding  article.  After  this  project  on  it,  at  eight  dif- 
ferent distances  of  time,  as  much,  calcined  alum,  in  subtile 
powder,  as  you  will  find  requisite  to  give  it  that  degree  of 
red  hue  you  desire  ;  which  to  imitate  the  Balais  ruby 
colour,  must  be  fuller  and  deeper  than  that  of  the  clear 
rubies. 

XX.  To  make  a  bright  enamel,  escarboucle  colour- 

1.  Take  very  fine  gold,  one  part.  Purify  it  again,  and 
open  it  in  the  following  manner.  Dissolve  it  in  good  regal 
water  ;  distil  it  first  trom  the  gold,  and  recohobate  it  six 
different  times.  A^ter  this,  take  your  gold  powder  from 
the  vessel,  put  it  in  a  crucible,  covered  and  luted  as  usual, 
and  place  it  in  a  lurnace  to  the  reverberating  fiie,  where 
it  shall  be  left  tu  calcine  till  it  becomes  a  veiy  high  and 
deep  red,  which  cannot  happen  till  alter  several  days  cal- 
cination. 

2.  Then,  by  projecting  this  part  of  well  opened  gold  on 
twenty  of  the  beforenientioned  crystiln  e  matter,  previous- 
ly purged  according  to  direction,  and  put  in  a  slate  of 
good  tusion,  an  enamel  will  be  obtained,  ot  the  most  beau- 
tiful, transparent,  escarboucle  colour. 

XXI.  To  make  transparent fravies. 

Boil  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  only,  nut  oil,  six  ounces  ; 
"white  wax,  lour  ;  rosin,  as  much  ;  and  Venice  turpentine, 
two.    When  lukewarm,  lay  it  on  with  a  soft  brush. 


^0  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

XXII.  To  make  a  frame  look  as  if  made  o/glass. 

Take  one  of  the  finest  and  most  perfect  sheets  of  vellun* 
you  can  find.  Wash  it.paste  it  on  the  frame.and  let  it  dry. 
I'hen  boil  in  a  glass  vessel,  over  a  sand  bath,  equal  quan- 
tities of  nut  or  lintseed  oil.  in  water,  with  a  little  crown 
glass,  pounded  into  a  very  fine  powder.  With  this  you 
may  at  any  time  give  a  coat  to  your  vellum,  "and  see  the 
pleasing  effect  it  will  have 

XXIII.  ^  white  fiaint  to  preserve  the  fiutty  round  the 
fianes  qf'  glass. 

1.  Grind  white  lead  with  water.  Dry  it,  and  grind  it 
again  with  oil,  then  lay  a  coat  of  >t  over  your  putty.  But 
if  you  want  it  to  be  still  more  durable,  put  two  coats  of  it, 
after  having  added  a  part  of  foetid  oil,  made  in  the  follow- 
ing manner 

2.  Have  a  leaden  plate  with  turned  up  edges  to  make  a 
border.  Fill  it  with  nut  or  linseed  oil.  Cover  it  with  a 
piece  of  glass,  and  expose  it  in  the  sun.  It  will  soon  be 
foetid. 

XXIV.  To  clear  glass. 

Rub  the  glass  crystal  with  a  piece  of  lead  ;  that  will 
make  it  clear  and  bright. 

XXV.  How  to  distinguish  a  true  form  oj  a  false  stone. 

Warm  an  iron  plate ;  rub  some  oil  over  it  ;  spread 
glass  dust  on  the  middle,  and  cover  that  glass  with  kind- 
led coals  Hold  the  stone  you  want  to  try  over  these  coals, 
without  letting  it  touch  them.  If  the  stone  does  not  lose 
its  lustre,  and  look  dull,  it  is  a  true  stone. 


C     51    i 

CHAP.  VI. 
^CBETS  CONCERNING  COLOURS  AND  PAINTING. 


§  I.   TO   PAINT   IN  TARNISH   OW   WOOD.     UBEFTJL  TO   CARBIAGE 
PAINTERS. 


*<  I.  The  firefiarations  previous  to  the  laying  of  colours,  and 
the  general  process  observing  in  laying  thtm  on  it. 

1.  TT'OU  must  first  lay  on  the  wood  two  coats  ofTroyes- 

1.      white,  diluted  with  s.ze- water.     Next  lay  over 

these  a  third  coat  of  ceruse.     Then  nrtix  the  colour  you 

want  with  turpentine  oil,  add  the  varnish  to  it,  and  lay  it  on 

the  wood,  previously  prepared  as  follows 

2.  Polish  the  wood,  first  with  shave- grass  or  horse  tail, 
then  with  pounce  stone.  Lay  afterwards  six  or  seven 
coats  of  colour  mixed  with  varnish,  allowing  after  each 
coat  a  sufficient  time  to  try,  before  laving  on  the  next  ; 
then  polish  over  the  last  coat  with  pounce  stone,  grinded 
on  marble  into  a  subtile  powder.  When  this  is  done,  lay 
two  or  three  coats  of  pure  white  varnish.  As  soon  as  this 
is  dry,  rub  it  over  with  a  soft  rag,  dipped  into  fine  ohve 
■  oil,  then  rub  it  with  tripoly  reduced  into  subtile  powder, 
and  having  wiped  with  a  clean  piece  of  linen,  pass  a 
piece  of  wash  leather  all  over  it- 

II.  To  make  a  black, 

1.  The  black  is  made  with  lamp  of  ivory  black,  grinded 
on  marble  stone,  with  vinegar  and  water,  till  it  is  reduced 
into  the  most  impalpable  powder     Keep  it  in  a  bladder. 

2.  There  if  a  sort  of  black  which,  from  its  hue,  maybe 
termed  a  velvet  black  I'his  is  made  of  sheep  trotter 
bones,  burnt  and  reduced  by  grinding,  like  the  other  black, 
into  an  impalpable  powder.  Keep  it  the  same  as  the 
other. 

III.  To  make  blue. 

Burnt  turnsol  mixed  with  quick  lime  and  water,  the:^ 
sized  with  leather  size,  makes  the  blue. 


6'2  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

4,^  IV.  To  make  the  Gridelin. 

Grind  cochineal  with  whitelead  and  a  little  Venetian 
lake.  According  as  you  put  more  or  less  of  this  last  in- 
gredient, you  make  it  darker  or  clearer. 

§  II.  TO  PAINT   OK  TAPEK. 

V.  For  the  red. 

To  make  a  red,  take  flat,  or  Venetian  lake  and  Brazil 
wood,  and  boil  all  together,  with  an  addition  of  black  lead. 

VI.  To  make  ajine  yellow. 

You  must  boil  some  kermes  in  water  impregnated  with 
orpine. 

VII.  To  make  a  green. 

A  mixture  of  vedigrease,  sap  green,  Hungarian  green, 
and  tervette.  The  whole  grinded  on  marble  with  a  pret- 
ty strong  leather  size. 

VIII.  To  transfer  a  print  on  vellumt  and  then  paint  it. 

Chuse  your  print,  and  fit  a  sheet  of  transparent,  or  va- 
nished paper  to  it,  for  width  and  breadth.  Lay  it  on  the 
print,  and  fix  it  by  the  four  corners  and  the  middle  part 
of  the  four  edges,  on  that  print,  by  means  of  a  little  white 
wax,  the  bulk  of  a  pin's  head.  Then  with  a  fine  lead 
pencil,  sketch  out  on  the  varnished  paper,  all  the  outlines 
and  turns  of  the  print,  which  you  plainly  see  through — 
V^hen  done,  rub  the  back  of  this  varnished  paper  all  over 
with  red  chalk,  and  carrying  it  on  the  vellum,  fix  it  on 
it,  as  you  did  on  the  print.  Then  with  a  wooden  or  ivory 
blunt  point,  pass  over  all  the  strokes  which  are  delineat- 
ed on  the  varnished  paper,  the  red  chalk  of  the  back  will 
set  of  in  all  those  parts,  and  lie  on  the  velum,  whereon  you 
will  find  the  print  perfectly  sketched,  and  fit  to  receive 
^vhat  colour  you  like. 

§  IlL   COMPOSITfbNS  FOR  LIMNERS. 

iX.  How  to  prepare  colours  for  limning. 

Most  colours  are  prepared,  and  grinded  with  gem-   j*, 
arabic.    Ochre  makes  the  yellow  ;  courant  mouranty  the  ^ 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  5S 

■white ;  verdigrease,  the  green ;  ceruse,  the  grey  ;  lamp- 
black, the  black ;  cinnaber,  the  red  ;  and  gold  in  shell, 
the  gold. 

X.  To  make  what  is  called  lamfiblack. 

Put  a  large  wick  of  cotton  in  a  lamp,  filled  with  nut  oil, 
and  light  it.  Prop  over  the  ftame  an  earthen  dish,  and 
.now  and  then  visit  this  dish,  and  gather  all  the  black  which 
fixed  itself  to  it. 

XI.  Another  way  of  making  black. 

Burn  some  nut-shells  in  an  iron  pan,  and  throw  them  in 
^nother  full.of  water.  Then  grind  them  on  marble  with 
cither  oil  or  varnish. 

XII.  To  make  a  blue. 

Whitening  grinded  with  verdigrease  will  make  a  very 
fine  blue. 

XIIL     To  make  a  turquin  blue, 

German  turnsol  infused  for  one  night  in  chamber-lye, 
then  grinded  with  a  discretionable  quantity  of  quick-lime, 
in  proportion  as  you  want  to  have  it  paler  or  darker. 

XIV.    AJine  green  for  limning. 

Grind  some  verdigrease,  with  vinegar,  and  a  very  small 
quantity  of  tartar;  then  add  a  little  quick-lime  and  sap- 
green,  which  grind  with  the  rest,  and  put  in  shells  for 
keeping.  If  it  become  too  hard,  dilute  it  with  a  drop  of 
vinegar. 

XV.    Another  for  the  same  fyurfiose. 

Grind  on  marble  stone,  verdigrease,  and  a  third  of  tar- 
tar, with  white  wine  vinegar* 

XVI.     To  make  Sap-green,  or  blackberry  green. 

Express  the  blackberry  juice,  when  full  ripe.  Add  some 
alum  to  it,  put  all  in  a  bladder,  and  hang  it  in  a  chimney  to 
dry. 

XVII.     To  make  lake. 

Take  three  parts  of  an  ounce  of  Brazil  wood  ;  a  pint  cf 
F 


o4  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

clear  water ;  one  drachm  and  ahalf  of  rochalum ;  eighteeu 
grains  of  salt  of  tartar;  the  bulk  of  two  filberts  of  mineral 
crystal  ;  three  quarters  of  a  pound  of  the  whitest  sound,  or 
cuttle-fish  bones,  rasped  Put  all  toG:ether  in  a  saucepan 
to  boil,  till  reduced  to  one  third.  Strain  it  three  times 
through  a  course  cloth-  To  make  a  finer  sort,  strain  it 
four  times.  Then  set  it  in  the  sun  under  cover  to  dry. 
That  which  dries  the  soonest  is  the  finest. 

XVIII.     To  make  a  liquid  lake. 

Pound  some  cochineal  and  alum  together ;  then  boil 
them  with  a  quantity  of  lemon-peels,  cut  very  small.  And 
when  it  is  come  to  the  right  colour  you  want,  pass  it 
through  a  cloth. 

XIX.    Another  ivay. 

On  a  quantity  of  alum  and  cochineal  pounded  and  boil- 
ed together,  pour  drop  by  drop  oil  of  tartar  till  it  comes  to 
a  fine  colour. 

XX.    For  the  vermilion. 

Vermilion  becomes  very  fine  in  aquaxUce,  or  in  child's 
urine.  Bat  it  will  be  still  finer,  if  you  put  in  aquavitce  witli 
a  little  saffron.     It  is  used  with  whipped  whites  of  eggs. 

XXI.     For  the  making  of  carmine. 

1.  Boil  two  quarts  of  spring  water  in  a  varnished  pip- 
kin, and  when  it  boils  throw  in  seven  pugils  of  pulverised 
chouam.  After  this  has  thrown  two  or  three  bubbles,  take 
it  off  the  fire  and  decant  it  in  another  clean  pipkin.  Then 
put  in  this  water  five  ounces  of  cochineal  in  powder,  and 
boil  it  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  Add  three  pugils  of  autour» 
in  fine  powder,  and  make  it  throw  four  bubbles.  Then 
add  three  pugils  of  Roman  alum  in  powder,  and  take  it  out 
directly  from  the  fire,  which  must  be  made  of  live  coals. 

2.  Strain  all  through  a  linen  cloth,  and  divide  this  liquor 
into  several  delph  vessels,  and  so  let  it  remain  for  three 
weeks — At  the  end  of  that  term,  pour  off  the  water  by 
inclination.  You  will  find  under  a  kind  of  mouldiness, 
which  you  must  carefully  pick  off;and  then  gather  the  car- 
mine. 

jVote.  Every  five  ounces  of  cochineal  give  one  of  car- 
mine — It  i>.  to  be  grinded  on  marble.  A  general  opinion 
prevails,  th;it  this  operation  is  be^t  done  in  the  cre'^cent  of 
the  moon. — How  far  it  is  needful  to  observe  this  precept, 
is  left  to  the  wiic  to  determine. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  6cc.  53 

XXII.     Colours  fit  for  exfiressing  the  -varmis  com- 
plexions. 

1.  For  women  and  child  ten,  mix  a  little  white  and  a 
little  tuvnsol. 

2.  For  men,  a  mixture  of  white  and  vermilion  is  proper. 

3.  For  old  folks,  you  must  use  some  white  and  ccher. 

4.  For  horses,  you  must  chuse  bistre,  ocher  and  white. 
The  dark  brown  horses  require  a  little  addition  of  black. 
The  gray  want  nothing  but  bistre  and  white. 


§  IV.   TO  MAKE  TRANSPARENT  COLOURS. 

XXIII.  For  the  green. 

Put  in  very  strong  vinegar,  verdigrease,  rue-juice,  and 
gum-arabic.  Set  this  in  the  sun  for  a  fortnight,  or,  if  you 
have  no  sun,  boil  it  on  the  fire.  Strain  it,  bottle  and  stop  it. 
Shake  it  well  before  using. 

XXIV.  For  the  red. 

Make  a  lye  with  salt  of  tartar.  In  it,  put  to  infuse  for 
one  night,  some  India  wood,  with  a  little  alum.  Boil  all, 
and  reduce  to  one  third.  Run  it  through  a  linen  cloth,  and 
mix  some  gum-arabic  with  it.  With  more  or  less  alum, 
you  make  it  of  a  higher  or  paler  hue. 

XXV.  For  the  yellotD. 

Bruise  Avignon  seed,  called  French  Berries,  and  put  it 
in  a  lye  of  salt  and  tartar  to  boil  on  the  fire,  to  the  re- 
duction of  two  thirds.  Run  it,  and  boil  it  one  bubble  more. 
Then  bottle  and  cork  it  it  must  be  shaken  before  using. 
A  small  addition  of  saffron  renders  it  more  lively. 

XXVI.  For  the  blue. 

Soak  in  chamber-lye,  one  night,  a  quantity  o^  German 
Falma  Christi.  Take  it  out  and  grind  it  with  a  liule  quick- 
lime—  More  or  less  quick-lime  will  raise  or  lower  it  in 
hue.  And  nothing  more  is  required  to  dilute  it  than 
chamber-lye  and  gum-arabic. 

XXVII.  Another  blue^  very  like  ultramaiine. 

Grind  some  indigo  on  porphyry  with  turpentine  oil.  Put 


36         SECRETS  IN    ARTS,  TRADES,  &c 

it  afterwards  in  a  glassed  pipkin,  and  lute  it  well.  Let  it 
thus  lay  for  the  space  of  six  weeks.  The  longer  you  leave 
it,  the  more  blue  it  will  be. 

XXVIIl.  Afialered  to  fiaint  on  cnavid. 

1.  Take  the  filings  of  a  piece  of  good  iron.  Put  them  io 
a  matrass  with  aquafortis,  and  set  it  on  a  slow  fire.  Let  it 
boil  gently  till  the  filings  are  all  dissolved. 

2.  When  this  is  done,  pour  a  little  warm  water  into  the 
matrass,  and  let  it  remain  u  few  hours  on  the  fire,  then 
pour  all  into  another  vessel.  When  the  liquor  shall  be 
quite  clear,  decant  it  out  gently,  and  leave  the  powder^ 
which  is  at  the  bottom,  to  dry. 

3.  Put  this  dried  powder  in  a  new  crucible  well  covered 
and  luted,  then  neal  it  gently  on  a  very  regular  fire,  and 
a  little  while  after,  take  it  out  and  let  it  cool. 

4  Now  one  drachm  of  that  powder,  and  three  of  yel- 
low Dutch  beads  ground  with  mastich-oil,  will  give  full 
satisfaction. 

XXIX.    Process  of  making  fiurple,  for  fiainting  an 
enamel 

1.  Take  one  drachm  of  very  fine  gold,  forged  weak. 
Cut  in  small  bits,  and  nt- al  it.  Put  that  gold  into  a  matrass, 
with  one  ounce  of  ammoniac  salt,  and  two  of  good  aqua- 
fortis, a»)d  set  it  on  a  gentle  fire  to  run  all  mto  liquor. 

2.  Havf  two  ounces  of  clear  water,  near  boiling,  and 
throw  it  in  the  matrass.  This  done,  p  ur  the  whole  in  a 
glass  phial  of  more  than  a  quart  size,  to  which  add  one 
ounce  and  a  half  of  oil  of  t  irtar  drop  by  drop.  It  will  oc- 
casion an  ebullition,  which  being  ceased,  you  must  fill  the 
bottle  with  water,  and  let  it  rest  till  the  gold  falls  to  the 
bottom. 

3  When  the  water  is  qtiite  clear,  decant  it  out  gently, 
for  fear  of  di.sturbing  the  gold  and  1  sir.g  it.  Ti:)en  fill  the 
bottle  with  new  water,  repeating  this  operation  till  the 
water  is  as  clear  when  you  decant  it  out,  as  when  you  put 
it  in  and  has  no  more  smt  11. 

4.  Take  your  gold  out  of  the  bottle,  and  put  it  on  a  fine 
brown  pajier. folded  in  four  or  five  doubles,  and  turned  up 
by  the  edges,  in  tornrj  of  a  little  case  or  mould.  There 
let  it  dry,  and  when  dry,  keep  it  for  use. 

5.  Grind,  nr.xt,  some  fine  white  frost  glass  ;  mix  it  with 
water,  put  it  in  a  bottle,  and  shake  it,  then  let  it  settle. 
Wnen  this  powder  is  falh  n  to  the  bottom,  decant  off  the 
"water,  and  let  the  powder  dry  in  the  vessel. 

6-  The  proportion  to  make  the  purple  colour.    Take 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  57 

three  grains  only  of  your  aforesaid  ^old  dust  to  thirty  of  the 
white  frost-glass,  thus  prepared.  Mix  both  in  a  calcedony 
mortar  with  clear  water.  After  the  powder  has  settled 
to  the  bottom  of  the  mortar,  decant  out  the  water,  and  let 
the  powder  dry  in  the  mortar. 

7.  This  done,  take  the  powder  out  of  the  mortar,  and 
putting  it  on  a  white  bit  of  paper,  dry  it  by  a  slow  fire,  till 
you  see  it  has  acquired  a  fine  purple  hue. 

8.  Grind,  now,  this  powder  with  a  little  oil  of  spike,  and 
put  it  in  little  cases  made  with  cards,  of  which  the  edges 
are  turned  up.  When  the  card  has  soaked  theojl,  the 
whole  operation  is  accomplished.  Preserve  it,  by  putting 
it  in  small  boxes,  in  a  dry  place. 

XXX.  How  to  make  a  Jinejiesh  colour, 

9-  The  mere  addition  of  a  little  black  to  the  above 
composition  will  make  the  finest  colour  for  complexions, 
or  flesh-colour,  and  may  justly  be  deemed  a  ninth  article 
in  the  process  which  is  to  be  observed  in  its  fabrication. 

XXXI.  A  good  way  to  make  carmine. 

Make  a  little  bag,  tied  very  close,  of  fine  Venetian  lake. 
Put  it  in  a  little  varnished  pipkin,  with  rain-water  and 
cream  of  tartar,  and  boil  it  to  a  sirrup.  Thus  you  will 
have  a  fine  carmine  colour, 

XXXII.  For  an  amber  colour- 

To  much  yellow,  add  equal  quantities  of  each  red  and 
white. 

XXXIII.     The  whole  firocess  of  making  ultramarine. 

1.  Make  some  of  the  brownest  lapis  red  hot  in  a 
crucible  then  throw  it  into  vinegar.  Rrpeat  this  three 
times.  When  calcined,  pound  it  in  a  mortar,  and  sift  it. 
Then  grind  it  on  porphyry,  with  a  mixture  of  liniseed 
oil  and  spirit  of  wine,  in  equal  quantities,  and  previously 
digested  together  in  a  matrass,  and  often  shaken  to  pre- 
pare them  for  this  use.  W^hen  you  shall  have  subtilized 
yoar  lapis  powder,  then  incorporate  it  with  the  following 
cement, 

2.  Lintseed  oil,  two  ounces  ;  Venice  turpentine,  three  ; 
mastich.half  a  one ;  assa  fxtida,  two;  black  rosin,  as 
much  ;  wax,  half  an  ounce  ;  yellow  rosin,  three.  Boil  all 
in  a  glazed  pipkin,  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour ;  then  run  it 

F  2 


58  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

through  a  cloth  into  clear  water.  Takfe  it  out  of  that  wa* 
ter  ;  and,  taking  of  this  and  of  the  grinded  lapis,  equal 
quantities,  incorporate  them  in  a  glazed  pan,  and  pour 
some  clean  warm  water  over,  and  let  it  rest  for  a  quarter 
of  an  hour-  Stir  this  water  with  a  wooden  spatula  ;  and  in 
another  quarter  of  an  hour  you  will  see  the  water  all 
azured  Decant  gently,  that  water  into  another  glazed 
pan.  Pour  new  warm  water  on  the  grounds,  and  proceed 
is  before,  continuing  to  stir  and  beat  it  well ;  then  decant 
again  this  new  azured  water  with  the  former  Repeat 
doing  so,  till  the  water  is  no  more  tainted  with  any  azur- 
ine  particles.  When  done, set  your  azured  waters  in  evap- 
oration, and  there  will  remain  at  the  bottom  a  very  fine 
Azure  of  Ultramarine,  viz.  four  ounces  of  it  for  every  one 
pound  ot  composition.  Of  the  remainder  you  make  what 
is  called  cender  blue. 

XXXIV.  Another  very  fine  ultramarine^ 

Take  the  finest  lapis  lazuli  you  can  find  ;  break  it  ia 
little  bits,  and  make  it  red  hot  in  a  crucible,  between 
blasting  coals.  When  red  hot,  throw  it  in  white  wine  vine- 
gar ;  then  dry  it  and  pound  it  in  a  marble  mortar  with  a 
wooden  pestle.  Should  it  not  pound  easily,  calcine  it  again 
as  before,  and  throw  it  again  in  vinegar,  &c.  then  try  it  in 
the  mortar,  and  if  it  do  not  pound  yet>  repeat  again  the 
same  process  till  it  easily  submits  to  be  pulverised.  Af- 
ter it  has  been  put  into  a  fine  powder,  grind  it  on  a  por- 
phyry stone,  with  good  aquavitse,  till  it  is  impalpable. 
Then  gather  it  up  in  little  cakes,  which  set  a  drymg  on 
paper  ot  slates.  When  dry,  if  you  pulverise  it,  you  have 
a  fine  ultramarine. 

XXXV.  A  secret  to  comfiose  a  fine  hlucyfor  washing,  in 
drawings  instead  of  ultramarine^  ivhich  is  too  dear  and 
too  strong  to  be  ustdfor  that  pur fiose. 

1  Gather  in  the  summer,  a  large  quantity  of  blowart, 
whichgrows  in  the  fields  among  the  corn.  Pick  well  iheir 
blue  leaves  off.  Have  lukewarm  water  impregnated  with 
impalpable  powder  of  alum.  Put  the  picked  blue  leaves 
into  a  n  arble  mortar,  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  that 
alum  water,  to  soak  them  only.  Then,  with  either  a 
wooden  or  marble  pestle,  pound  them,  till  the  whole  is  so 
mashed,  as  to  give  the  juice  by  expression  through  a  new 
cloth.  Then  strain  it  over  a  glass  bowl,  in  which  there  is 
water  impregnated  with  the  whitest  gum-arabic  you  can 
find. 

2.  Observe  that  you  must  not  put  much  alum  in  the 
fct  water,  if  you  are  desirous  of  presei;vins  the  brightness 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c  59 

of  the  colour :  for  by  putting  too  much  of  that  ingredient, 
as  well  as  for  the  water  impregnated  with  it,  you  darken 
the  tone  of  the  colour. 

3.  JVote  By  means  of  the  same  process,  you  may  like- 
wise draw  the  colours  from  every  flower  which  has  any 
great  eclat.  You  must  not  neglect  to  pound  them  with 
alum  water,  which  prevents  the  colrur  from  suffering  any 
alteration;  as  it  sometimes  happens  at  the  very  first 
bruise. 

4.  To  render  these  colours  portable,  set  them  a-drying 
in  the  shade,  in  glass  vessels,  well  covered,  to  fence  them 
against  the  dust. 

XXXVL     The  true  secrets  of  making  ivis-green' 

1.  Take  a  large  quantity  of  the  flowers  of  that  name 
in  the  spring.  Pick  them  ;  that  is  to  say,  pick  out  the 
green  and  the  yellow,  which  are  at  the  bottom  of  the  pe- 
tal of  the  flower.  Next  to  this,  pound  them  in  a  marble 
mortar,  with  a  little  lukewarm  water,  impregnated  with 
alum.  When  pounded,  express  the  juice  through  a  new 
cloth,  over  a  china  bowl.  Then  mix  some  gum-arabic 
water  with  it. 

2.  If  you  want  a  tone  of  colour  different  from  the  na- 
tural colour  of  the  flower,  you  may  chanj^e  it  by  only  add- 
ing, after  the  flowers  are  pounded,  a  little  quick-lime  dust 
in  the  mortar,  and  give  two  or  three  strokes  of  a  pestle 
more  to  the  whole  ;  then  strain  it. 

3.  J\ote.  If  you  should  pound  these  flowers  in  a  wood- 
en mortar,  you  must  be  cautioned  at  least  to  take  care  it 
should  not  be  one  of  walnut  tree  wood,  because  it  is  apt 
to  tarnish  the  colours,  and  destroy  their  brightness,  which 
is  one  of  the  chief  things  always  requned  in  colours. 

4.  In  the  month  of  March,  you  may  by  means  of  the 
same  process,  obtain  the  colour  from  garden,  or  double 
violets.  But  this  is  never  so  fine  nor  so  lively. 

XXXVII.     To  make  a  dark  green,  for  miniture  pictures, 
washing  on  fiafier,  on  drafitries  and  terraces. 

Take,  towards  the  end  of  autumn,  a  good  quantity  of 
wall-wort  stalks,  with  their  fruits  on  them,  and  very  ripe. 
Let  them  rot  for  five  or  six  days  in  the  cellar ;  and  when 
you  see  the  fruits  have  fomented  sufficiently  to  give 
easily  their  juice  by  expression,  strain  it  through  a  new 
cloth  in  alum  water.  Divide  the  whole  into  several  glass 
tumblers,  to  dry  it  niore  easily.  Set  them  in  the  air,  but 
not  in  the  sun  ;  and  lay  some  paper  over  them,  to  prevent 
any  thing  from  falling  into  the  glasses,  but  which  should 
not  at  the  same  time  stop  the  exhalation  oJt  the  liquor,  and 


60  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

thereby  cause  it  to  become  mouldy.  By  these  means  you 
shall  have  a  colour  fit  for  the  wash  of  a  green  hue  ;  and 
dark  at  the  same  time. 

XXXVIII.     To  make  the  Bistre  for  the  wash. 

1  Grind  on  marble,  with  child's  water,  some  chimney- 
soot.  Mullar  it  as  fine  as  possible.  When  done,  put  it  in  a 
wide-mouthed  bottle,  which  fill  up  with  clear  water  ;  and 
then,  stir  and  mix  all  well  with  a  wooden  spatula.  Let 
the  coarsest  part  settle  to  the  bottom  of  the  vessel.  De- 
cant out  the  liquor  gently  into  another  vessel.  What  re- 
mains in  the  bottom  in  the  coarsest  bistre. 

2.  Proceed  the  same  with  respect  to  the  second  bottle, 
and  after  having  left  this  to  settle  for  thee  or  iour  days,  in- 
stead of  half  an  hour,  decant  it  into  a  third.  This  gives 
you  the  finest  bistre. 

3.  in  the  manipulation  of  all  the  colours  which  are  in- 
tended to  serve  in  drawing  for  wash,  whenever  you  will 
not  have  them  rise  thick  above  the  surface  of  the  paper, 
which  would  undoubtedly  look  very  bad  ;  for  the  neatness 
required  in  a  draught,  forbids  the  use  of  any  coarse  colour. 

XXXIX.     The  secret  for  a  fine  red  for  the  wash' 

1.  Make  a  subtile  powder  with  cochineal.  Put  it  in  a 
vessel,  and  pour  rose-water  over  it  as  will  exceed  above 
it  by  two  fingers. 

2.  Dilute  calcined  and  pulverised  alum,  while  it  is  quite 
warm,  into  plantain  vvater>  and  mix  some  of  the  liquor  in 
which  you  have  dissolved  the  cochineal. 

3.  This  process  will  give  you  a  very  fine  red,  mi^ph  pre- 
ferable for  the  wash,  to  that  which  is  made  with  ver  nilion, 
because  this  last  has  too  much  consistence,  and  besides 
tarnishes  too  soon,  on  account  of  the  mercury  which  enters 
into  its  composition. 

XL.     J  secret  to  make  carmine  at  a  small  cxfience. 

Break  and  bruise  in  a  bell-metal  mortar,  half  a  pound 
of  gold  colour  Fernamborough  Brasil.  Put  this  to  infuse 
with  distilled  vinegar,  in  a  glazed  pipkin,  in  which  boil  it 
for  the  space  of  a  quarter  ot  an  hour.  Strain  the  liquor 
through  a  new  stroiig  cloth ;  then  sct  it  again  on  the  fire  to 
boil.  When  it  boils,  pour  on  it  white  wine  vinegar,  impreg- 
nated with  roman  alum.  Stir  well  with  a  v;onden  spatula, 
and  the  froth  that  will  arise  is  the  carmine.  Skim  it  care= 
fully  in  a  glass  vessel,  and  set  it  to  dn'. 


I 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  61 

i  V.      eOMPOSlTION    OF   COLOURS,   TO   DYE   SKINS    OR 
GLOVES. 


XLI.     A  lively  Isabel 

To  make  a  lively  Isabel  colour,  you  must,  to  a  quantity  of 
white,  add  one  half  of  yellowj  and  two-thirds  ot  red  and 
yellow. 

XLII.     Fov  a  pale  filbert  colour' 

1.  Take  burnt  umber,  a  little  yellow,  very  little  white, 
and  Still  less  red. 

f.  This  is  made  darker,  by  adding  a  quantity  of  burnt 
umber,  as  much  yellow,  a  little  white,  and  as  rrluch  red. 

XLII  I.     For  the  gold  colour. 

To  ri^ch  yellow. join  a  little  more  red;  and  this  miX' 
turewill  give  you  a  very  fine  bright  gold  colour. 

XLIV.     For  the  fiesh  colour- 
To  imitate  well  the  complexion,  or  flesh  colour,  you  mix 
a  little  white  and  yellow  together,  then  add  a  little  more 
red  than  yellow. 

XLV       The  straiv  colow. 

Much  yellow;  very  little  white  ;  as  little  red,  and  a 
great  deal  of  gum. 

XLVI.     .IfinebroviTi 

1.  Burnt  umber  ;  much  black  chalk  ;  a  l?ttle  black.and 
a  little  red  ;  will  make  a  fine  brown,  when  well  incorpo- 
rated together. 

2  The  saine  is  made  paler,  by  decreasing  the  quantity 
of  black  chalk,  and  no  black  at  all  in  the  above  composi- 
tion. 

XLVII.     To  make  a  fine  onusk  colour. 

Take  burnt  umber  ;  very  little  black  chalk  i  little  red 
and  a  little  white  These  irgredients  well  mixed  will 
produce  as  fine  a  musk  colour  as  ever  was. 


62  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

XLVIII.     To  make  afrangijiane  colour. 

1.  This  is  made  with  a  little  umber  ;  twice  as  much  red, 
and  three  ti'Ties  as  much  yellow.  / 

2  The  paler  hue  of  it  is  obtained  bv  addins;  only  some 
white,  and  making  the  quantity  of  red  equal  to  that  of  yel- 
low. 

XLIX.     An  olive  colour. 

To  make  the  olive  colour,  take  umber,  not  burnt  ;  a  lit- 
tle yellow  ;  and  the  quarter  part  of  it  of  red  and  yellow. 

L,    How  to  make  skins  and  gloves  take  these  dyes- 

Grind  the  colours  yon  have  pitched  upon  with  perfumed 
oil  ofjes'^aTiine.or  orange  flowers.  Thci  ranf:;e-the  grinded 
colour  on  a  corner  of  the  marble  stone.  Grind  of  gum-adra- 
gant,  an  eq.ial  quantitv  as  that  of  the  colours,  soaking  it  all 
the  wh  le  with  orange  flower  water.  Then  grind  both  the 
gum  and  the  colour  together,  in  order  to  incorporate  them 
well.  Put  all  into  a  pan,  and  Bour  a  discreti^nable  qwan- 
titv  of  water  over  it,to  dilute  sufficiently  vour  paste  Then 
with  a  briv>h,riih  vour  gloves  or  skins  over  with  this  tinged 
liquor  and  hang  them  in  the  air  to  dry.  Waen  dry,  rub 
them  with  a  stick.  Give  them  again,  with  the  same  brush 
another  sirnilar  coat  of  the  same  dye,  and  hang  them  again 
to  dry-  When  .dry  tor  this  second  time,  you  may  dress 
them,  the  colour  is  sufficiently  fixed,  and  there  is  no  tear 
of  its  ever  coming  off 

LI.     To  varnish  a  chimney. 

Blacken  it  first  with  black  and  size.  When  this  coat  is 
drv.lay  anr;ther  of  white  lead  over  it, dilute  din  mere  sized 
wat^-r.  This  being  drv  also,  have  verdigrese  diluted  and 
grinded  with  oil  of  nuts  and  a  coarse  varnish,  and  pass 
another  coat  of  this  over  the  white. 

§.   VI.    TO    COLOUR,    OR    VARNISH    COPPER    PLATE 
PRINTS 

l7lL      To  varnish  coppc^-plate  prints. 

1.  Have  a  frame  made  precisely  to  the  size  of  your  print. 
Fix  it  with  common  flour  paste,  bv  the  white  margin  on 
that  frame.  Let  it  drv,  then  fav  the  following  transparent 
varnish  on  it,  which  is  to  be  made  without  fire. 

2.  Dilute  in  a  new  glazed  pipkin,  with  a  soft  brush,  asbig 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  8cc.  63 

as  your  thumb,  about  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  Venice  tur- 
pentine and  two  penn\  worth  of  spike,  and  turpentine  oils, 
and  half  a  gill,  or  thereabouts,  of  spiiit  of  wine.  This 
varnish  being  no  thicker  than  the  white  of  an  egg,  lay  with 
your  brush,  a  coat  ot  it  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  print ;  and, 
imnrediately  atioiher  on  the  right.  Ther-  set  it  to  dry,  not 
upright,  but  fiat.  And,  if  it  should  not  dry  quick  enough, 
pass  alight  coat  of  spirit  of  whine  en  the  whole. 

LIII.     Hov)  to  colour  these  firints>  in  imitation  of  pictures 
in  oil  colours 

1.  To  paint  these  prints,  you  must  work  thr  m  on  the 
back  in  the  fcllowing  manner  ;  Prepare  first  your  colours 
on  a  pallet,  and  then  proceed  thus  ; 

2.  The  flesh  colour  is  made  with  a  little  white  and  Ver- 
million, which  mix  with  your  pencil  according  to  the  de- 
gree of  redness  you  will  have  it. — For  the  green  of  tree- 
leaves,  you  must  have  mountain-green,  ready  prepared 
from  the  colnurman  ;  and  for  the  finest  green,  some  ver- 
digrease.  As  for  the  bghter  shades  of  these  colours,  you 
only  add  some  vellow  to  either  of  the  above  two,  more  or 
less,  according  to  the  circumstances.  To  paint  v  oods  and 
trunks  of  trees,  nothing  more  is  rt  quired  than  umber  — 
To  express  skv-coiours  and  clouds,  you  m.ix  some  blue 
ceruse  with  white  lead  ;  and  with  these  two  colours  only, 
you  alter  your  blues  to  various  degress  of  shades,  dimin- 
ishing or  augmenting  one  of  the  two,  according  to  the 
darkness  or  lightness  of  the  skies  which  you  want  to  ex- 
press. For  the  distances,  a  mixture  ot  yellow  and  white 
lead,  and  so  on  for  the  other  colours  you  may  want. 

3.  You  are  to  compose  them  yourself  on  the  pallet  with 
the  pencil  ;  and  to  mix  or  to  unite  them,  use  a  little  oil  of 
nuts,  which  take  up  with  the  point  of  the  pallet-knife. — 
Then,  with  your  pencil,  you  apply  them  on  the  wrong 
side  of  the  print. 

LIV.  Jl  varnish  ivhich  suits  all  sorts  of  prints  and  pictures  ; 
■  stands  -water  ;  and  makes  the  nxori  appear  as  shining-  us  §-!ass^ 

Dilute  one  quarter  of  a  pound  of  Venice  turpentine, 
with  a  gill,  or  thereabouts,  of  spirit  of  wine.  If  too  thick, 
add  a  little  more  of  this  last  ;  if  not  enough,  a  little  of  the 
former,  so  that  you  bring  it  to  have  no  more  thickness 
than  the  apparent  one  or  milk  Lay  one  coat  of  this  on 
the  right,  side  of  the  print,  and  when  dry,  it  will  shine 
like  glass.  If  it  be  not  tc  your  liking,  you  need  only  lay 
another  coat  on  it. 


64  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c. 

LV.     To  make  appear  in  gold  the  fgures  of  a  print. 

!•  After  having  laid  on  both  sddes  of  the  print,  one  coat 
of  the  varnish  described  in  the  above  Art.  Ivi.  in  order 
to  naaiie  it  transparent,  let  it  dry  a  little  while.  Then, 
before  it  is  quite  so,  lay  some  gold  in  leaves  on  the  wrong 
side  of  the  print,  pressing  gently  on  it  with  the  cotton  you 
hold  in  your  hand  By  these  means  all  the  parts,  whereon 
you  lay  these  gold  leaves,  will  appear  like  true  massive 
gold  on  the  right  side. 

2.  Now,  when  this  is  all  thoroughly  dry,  lay  on  the  right 
side  of  it,  one  coat  of  the  varnish  described  in  the  preced- 
ing Art.  Ivi  it  will  then  be  as  good  as  any  crown-glass. — 
You  may  also  put  a  pasteboard  behind  the  print,  to  sup- 
port it  the  better  in  its  frame. 

LVI.     A  curious  secret  to  make  a  print  imitate  the  painting 
on  glass. 

Chuse  a  crown-glass  of  the  size  of  ycur  print  ;  and  lay 
on  it  two  coats  of  the  following  varnish  ; 

1.  Put  on  the  fire,  in  a  glazed  pipkin,  and  let  boil  for 
the  space  of  one  hour,  Venice  turpentine,  four  ounces; 
spirit  of  the  same?  and  of  wine,  equal  parts,  one  ounce  and 
a  half  of  each  mastice  in  tears,  two  drachms. 

2.  After  it  has  boiled  the  prescribed  time,  let  it  cool, 
and  then  lay  the  first  coat  on  the  glass  ;  This  being  dry, 
lay  another  ;  and,  as  soon  as  this  is  nearly  dry,  then  lay 
on  it,  as  neatly  as  possible,  the  print,  previously  prepared 
as  follows. 

3.  Have  a  glazed  vessel  so  broad  at  bottom  as  to  admit 
of  the  print  flat  with  all  ease  in  its  full  size.  Let  this  ves- 
sel be  also  as  wide  at  top  as  it  is  at  bottom,  that  you  may 
get  the  print  in  and  out  of  it  on  its  flat,  without  bending 
it  in  the  least.  Pour  aquafortis  in  this  pan  or  vessel, 
enough  to  cover  all  the  bottom,  then  lay  the  engraved  s«de 
of  your  print  on  that  aquafortis.  Take  it  out,  and  wipe 
the  aquafortis  off  i^ently  with  soft  rags,  then  steep  it  two 
or  three  times  in  three  diSerent  clean  fresh  waters,  and 
wipe  it  each  time  in  the  sa  we  manner. 

4.  This  bein'^  done,  lay  the  right  side  on  the  before  men- 
tioned glass,  before  the  second  coat  of  varnish  be  quite 
drv,  and  while  it  isslili  moist  enough  for  the  print  to  stick 
upon  it  unifornilv,  eqaaliy  ana  smoothly,  without  making 
any  wrinkles  or  blacl-lers.  When  it  is  perfectly  dried  in 
in  that  situation,  wet  ynur  finger  in  common  water,  and* 
moistening  the  priut  on  the  back  part  in  all  the  white 
places,  which  have  received  no  impression  trom  the  en- 
graving of  the  pla^eittrb  it  all  off.  By  these  means  there 
\n\\  i^j^Minothing  but  Tairly  the  printed  parts.   On  them 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  65 

you  may  paint  in  oil  with  a  brush,  and  the  most  bright 
and  lively  colours  ;  and  you  will  have  pictures,  on  which 
neither  dust  nor  any  thins  else,  will  be  able  to  cause  any 
damage.  To  do  this,  there  is  no  need  of  knowing  either 
how  to  paint  or  draw. 

LVII.     The   method  of  chalking,  for   those  nvho  are  not 
acquainted  lailh  draiuing. 

They  who  are  not  acquainted  with  the  principles  of 
drawing, may  amuse  themselves  with  chalking  some  beau- 
tiful prints  on  white  paper,  where  they  shall  have  nothing 
more  to  do  afterwards  than  shade,  in  the  same  manner  as 
they  see  done  iathe  original-  When  they  shall  have 
practised  for  a  while  in  that  way,  they  will  soon  become 
able  to  strike  out  themselves  some  good  piece  or  design. 
And  to  obtain  that  point,  the  following  method  is  recom- 
inend*^d 

1.  With  a  soft  and  one  of  the  best  bhjck  lead '  pencils, 
rub  one  side  of  a  white  sheet  of  paper  cut  to  the  size  of 
the  print,  so  that  nothing  of  the  paper  can  be  seen,  and 
only  the  black  lead  colour  Lay  this  shfet  on  the  clean 
side,  upon  the  face  of  the  print,  that  it  may  not  soil  it  ; 
and  on  this  sheet,  the  black  side  of  which  now  lies  upper- 
most towards  you,  lay  another  sheet  <if  clean  paper,  and 
fix  these  three  sheets  together  by  the  four  corners,  and 
on  the  edges  with  fine  pins  so  that  the  sheets  may  not 
vary  one  from  another,  v<'hich  would  quite  confuse  and 
mar  the  whole  design. 
^  2  Now  take  a  blunted  needle,  or  ivory  point,  and  slip 
it,  in  pressing  gently  all  over  the  turns  of  the  prints,  going 
gradually  and  orderly,  for  fear  of  forgetting  some  places, 
which  may  be  prevented  by  laying  a  flat  ruler  acr-^ss  the 
print  under  your  hands.  When  the  whole  is  finished, 
unpin  the  papers,  and  on  the  under  part  of  that  which 
lays  at  top,  you  will  find  all  the  outlines  of  the  print  most 
exactly  drawn. 

3  You  may  now  on  these  outlines,  pass  a  stroke  with 
India  ink  and  a  brush,  or  with  ink  and  a  pen ;  after  which, 
with  acrum  of  stale  bread,  you  rub  off  clean  all  the  use- 
less marks  of  the  pencil,  andleave  none  but  those  marked 
Avith  ink.  And  to  shade  this  design,  wash  it  with  India 
ink,  or  colours,  and  a  brush. 

LVIIL     To  prepare  a  transparent  paper  to  chalk  -with. 

In  order  to  obtain  the  art  of  chalking  neatly,  and  not  to 
■go out  of  the  fine  turns  and  outlines  of  a  drawing,  begin- 
ners should  first  know  how  to  prepare  a  transparent  pa- 
G 


66  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec. 

per,  which  as  it  lets  them  seethe  minutest  parts  of  the 
strokes  as  through  a  glass,  gives  them  ot  course  an  oppor- 
tunity of  acquiring  by  practice,a  correctness  in  the  expres- 
sion of  all  the  turns  of  drawing.  This  preparation  is  as 
follows. 

1.  Have  one  or  several  sheets  ot  fine  and  very  thin  pa- 
per, arid  rub  them  over  with  oil,  or  spirit  of  turpentine, 
mixed  in  double  thequantity  of  oilofnuts.  To  cause  the  pa- 
per to  imbide  that  mixture, steep  a  sponge  or  feather  m  it, 
■which  pass  on  both  sides  of  the  paper,  and  then  let  it  dry. 

2.  When  you  want  to  use  it,  lay  it  on  a  print  Then, 
■with  a  brush,  a  pencil,  or  a  pen,  pass  over  all  thfe  strokes, 
lines,  and  turns,  of  the  design  laid  under  You  may  even 
thus  learn  to  shade  with  neatness,  if  you  wash  that  same 
design,  while  fixed  on  th&  original  print,  with  India  ink. 

By  practising  ofien  you  may  learn  to  draw  verv  neatly, 
and  even  vvith  boldness.  Tiiis  method  will  certainly  prove 
very  useful  and  entertaining,  for  those  who  have  not  the 
patience  to  learn  by  the  common  method,  which  seems 
too  tedious  to  some,  and  generally  disgusts  beginners. 

§     VII.       FOR    PAINTING    ON    GLASS- 

LIX.     How  to  dravi  on  glass. 

Grind  lamp-bl  ck  with  gum-water  and  some  common 
salt.  With  a  pen  or  hair  pencil,  draw  your  design  on  the 
glass,  and  afterwards  shade  and  paint  it  with  any  ot  the 

following  compositions. 

I.X.     A  colour  for  grounds  on  glass- 

1  Take  iron  filings  and  Dutch  yellow  beads,  equal 
parts.  It  you  want  to  have  a  httle  red  cast,  add  a  little 
ci/pper  filings.  With  a  steel  mullav  grind  all  these  to- 
get  er  on  a  diick  and  strung  copper  plate,  or  on  porphyry. 
Taen  add  a  Itile'  gum-arabic,  borax,  ccmmon  salt  and 
clear  wa^er.  Mix  these  a  httle  fluid,  and  put  the  compo- 
siti  n  in  a  phial  tor  use. 

2.  When  yoa  come  to  make  use  of  it,  you  have  nothing 
to  do  but  with  a  hair  pencil  lay  it  quite  flat  on  the  design 
you  liad  drawn  the-  day  be<o;e  ;  and  having  left  this  to 
drv  hKo  for  another,day  with  the  quil  of  a  turkey, the  nib  of 
wijich  shall  not  bt  split,  you  heiehien  ihe  lights  in  the 
ftn.me  manner  as  \  ou  do  With  crayons  cii  blue  paj;er.— 
Whenever  you  put  more  coats  of  the  above  composition 
one  upon  another,  the  shade,  you  must  be  sensible,  will  na- 
turally be  stronger.  And  when  this  is  finished,  you  lay 
your  colours  for  garments  and  complexions  as  follows. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &e.  67 

LXI.     Preparation  of  lakcy  for  glass- 

Grind  the  lake  with  a  water  impregnated  with  gura  and 
salt,  and  then  make  use  of  it  with  the  brush.  The  shading 
is  operated  by  laying  a  double,  treble,  or  more  coats  of  the 
colour,  where  you  want  it  darker.  And  so  it  is  of  all  the 
following  compositions  of  colours. 

LXII.     Preparation  of  the  blue  purple^  for  glass. 

Make  a  compound  of  lake  and  indigo;  grinded  together 
with  gum  and  salt  water  ;  and  use  it  as  directed  in  the 
preceding  article. 

LX  III.     Preparation  of  the  green  for  glass. 

Indigo  mixed  with  a  proportionable  quantity  of  gam- 
boge, and  grinded  together  as  above,  will  answer  the 
intended  purpose. 

LXIV.     Preparation  of  the  yellow  for  the  same. 

Gamboge  grinded  with  salt  water  only. 

LXV.     preparation  of  the  ivhitC' 

You  have  only  to  highten  much  the  white  parts  with  a 
pen. 

•  ♦ 
LXVI.     The  proper  varnish  to  be  laid  on  glass  after 
painting. 

Boil  oil  of  nuts>  some  htharge,  lead  filings,  and  white 
copperas  calcined.  When  done  and  cold,  lay  it  all  over 
the  colours  which  you  put  on^the  glass. 

LXVII.     Honu   to  paint  071  glass -without  f  re 

Take  8;um  arable  and  dissolve  it  in  water  with  common 
salt,  bottle  and  keep  it.  With  this  liquor,  if  you  grind  the 
colours  you  intend  to  paint  with,  they  will  fix  and  eat  in 
the  glass.  Should  you  find  they  do  not  enough,  increase 
only  the  dose  of  salt. 


feiS  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

§    VIII.   PREPARATIONS    OF    COLOURS    OF    ALL    SORTS 
.  FOR    OIL,    WATER,    AND    CRAYONS. 

LXVllL     .^n  oil  to  griyid  colours  "i^ith^  tvJien  the  -works 
are   tnuch   exposed   to   the   injuries  of  the   vocather. 

Take  two  ounces  of  mastich  in  drops,  very  clear,  and 
grind  k  with  linseed  oil.  Then  put  in  a  well  glazed  pipkin 
any  quantity  of  that  oil,  and  set  it  on  the  fire  to  boil.  By 
little  and  little  introduce  in  that  boiling  oil  the  above  pre- 
pared mastich,  stirring  well  the  whole  to  mix  and  incorpo- 
rate the  better.  When  done,  take  it  from  the  fire  and 
let  it  cool.  Such  is  the  preparation  of  oil  with  which  you 
are  to  grind  your  colours,  when  they  are  to  be  much  ex- 
posed to  the  injuries  of  the  weather,  for  they  will  resist  it. 

LXIX.      To  marble  and  jasper  paper. 

1.  Grind  all  the  colours  you  want  to  employ  (such  as 
lake  massicot,  indigo,  yellow  and  red  ochre>  &c.  &c  )with 
bullock's  gall ;  grind  each  separately,  and  keep  them  so. 
Then  have  a  large  and  wide  pan  filled  with  lukewarm 
gum  water.  Stir  well  that  water  with  a  stick.  While  it 
is  in  motion  and  your  colour-,  being  ready  under  your  hand, 
with  a  large  brush, take  of  each  separately,  as  much  as  the 
tip  of  the  brush  will  carry,  and  touch  only  the  surface  of 
the  water  \v\t\^  it.  The  colours  will  immediately  expand. 
Each  colour  requires  a  particular'brush  to  itself  There- 
fore, with  another  brush,  take  of  another  colour,  and  do 
the  same  ;  and,  with  another  of  another,  and  so  on,  till  you 
have  put  on  your  water  all  those  you  have  destined  for 
the  purpose. 

2.  When  the  water  ceases  to  turn,  you  will  plainly 
perceive  all  the  variety  occasioned  by  the  diflferent  colours. 
Then,  taking  your  sheet  of  paper,  lay  ii  flit  on  the  water, 
leave  it  there  for  about  two  or  three  minutes,  and,  without 
taking  it  out,  give  it  one  turn  round  on  the  water,  then  pull 
it  by  one  of  the  edges  to  the  side  of  the  pan,  wash  it,  dry- 
it,  and  burnish  it  afterwards. 

JVote.  The  paper  must  be  chosen  good,  and  the  water 
fixed  with  gum  adragrant. 

LXX.      To  clean  pictures. 

Take  the  picture  out  of  its  frame.  Lay  a  cl^an  towel  on 
it,  which  for  the  space  of  ten,  fourteen,  or  eighteen  days, 
according  as  you  find  it  necessary,  you  keep  continually 
v-£tting,till  it  has  entirely  drawaout  all  the  fikhiness  from. 


SECRET^  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  69 

the  picture.  Then,  with  the  tip  of  your  finger,  pass  some 
lintseed  oil,  which  has  been  set  a  long  while  in  the  sun  to 
purify  it,  and  the  picture  will  become  as  tine  as  new. 

LXXI.     Another  for  the  same  purpose. 

Put  into  two  quarts  of  the  oldest  lye  one  quarter  of  a 
pound  of  Genoa  soap,  rasped  verv  fine,  with  about  a  pint 
of  spirit  of  wine,  and  boil  all  together  on  the  fire.  Strain 
it  through  a  cloth  and  let  it  cool.  Then  with  a  brush 
dipped  in  that  connposition,  rub  the  picture  all  over,  and 
let  it  dry.  Do  the  same  again  once  more,  and  let  it  dry 
too.  When  dry,  dip  a  little  cotton  in  oil  of  nut,  and  pass 
it  over  all  the  picture.  Let  this  dry  again  ;  and,  after- 
ward%>  warm  a  cloth,  with  which  rub  the  picture  well 
over,  and  it  will  be  as  fiae  as  just  out  of  the  painter's  hahds. 

LXXI  I.      A  secret  to  render  old  pictures  as  fine  as  7ieii:. 

Boil  in  anew  pipkin,  for  the  space  of  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  one  quarter  of  a  pound  of  griiy  or  Bril  ash,  and  a  lit- 
tle Genoa  soap.  Let  it  cool  to  a  lukewarm,  and  wash  your 
picture  with  it,  then  wipe  it  Pass  some  olive  oil  on  it,  and 
then  wipe  it  off  again.  This  will  make  it  just  as  fine  as  new. 

LXXIIT.  >4n  oil  to  prf  vent  pictures  from  blackening.  It  may 
serve  also  to  make  cloth  to  carry  in  the  pocket  against  wet 
weather. 

Put  some  nut  or  lintseed  oil  in  a  phial,  and  set  it  in  the 
sun  to  purify  it.  When  it  has  deposited  its  dregs  at  the 
bottom,  decant  it  gently  into  another  clean  phial,  and  set  it 
again  in  the  sun  as  before.  Continue  so  doing,  till  it  drops 
no  more /ip res  at  all.  And  with  that  oil,  you  make  the 
above  composition. 

LXXIV.     A  wash  to  clean  pictures^ 

Make  a  lye  with  clear  water  and  wood  ashes ;  in  this  dip 
a  sponge,  and  rub  the  picture  over,  and  it  will  cleanse  it 
perfectly.  The  same  may  be  done  with  chamber- lye  onlyj 
or  otherwise ,  with  white  wine,  and  it  will  have  the  same 
effect. 

LXXV.  A  very  curious  and  simple  lony  of  preventing  flies 
from  sitting  on  picturesy  or  any  other  furniture  and  making 
their  dung  there. 

Let  a  large  bunch  of  leeks  soak  for  five  or  six  days  in  a 
G2 


70  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

pail  full  of  water,  and  wash  your  picture,  or  any  other 
piece  of  turniture,  with  it.  The  flies  will  never  come  near 
any  thing  so  washed.  This  secret  is  very  important  and 
well  experienced- 

LXXVr.     To  make  indigo. 

Put  some  isatis.  otherwise  woad,  or  glastum,  with  slack- 
ed line,  to  boil  tcgeiher  in  water.  Ihert  will  rise  a 
scum,  which  being  taken  off,  and  mixed  with  a  little 
starch,  makes  the  indigo. 

L  XX V 1 1.     To  make  a  ydlov>. 

What  the  luteola  dyes  yellow,  becomes  green  by  the 
woad,  or  glastum.  Whence  we  may  justly  conclude,  that 
green  is  not  a  simple  colour,but  a  mixture  of  blue  and  yel- 
low as  the  yellow  itself  is  a  compound  ot  red  and  white. 

L XXVIII.     An  azure  of  mother-of-pearl. 

Take  any  quantity  of  ^perfine  tested  silver  in  laminas. 
Put  it  a  little  while  in  vinegar;  then  take  it  out,  strew 
over  the  laminas  some  pounce  powder,  to  alcoholise  th(  m. 
Next  stratify  them  in  a  crucible  ;  and  when  red  hot,  take 
them  off  from  the  fire,  and  you  will  have  a  fine  azure- 

LXXIX-     Ji  ~^hite  for  painters,  -which  may  be  preserved 
for  ever' 

Put  into  a  large  pan  three  quarts  of  lintseed  oil,  with  an 
equal  quantity  of  brandy,  and  tour  of  the  best  double  dis- 
tilled vinegar;  three  dozen  of  eggs,  new  laid  and  whole  ; 
three  or  tour  pounds  ot  mutton  suit,  chopped  small-  Cover 
all  with  a  lend  platCi  and  lute  it  well-  Lay  this  pan  in  the 
cellar  tor  three  weeks,  then  take  skilfully  the  white  off, 
then  dry  it.  The  dose  of  the  composition'  for  use  is  six 
ounces  of  that  white  to  every  one  of  bismuth- 

LXXX.     Another  white  for  ladies  paint' 

To  four  parts  of  hog's  lard  add  one  of  a  kid.  Melt  them 
together,  then  wash  them.  Re-melt  and  wash  them  again^ 
Then  add  four  ounces  of  ammoniac  salt,  and  as  much  of 
sulphur,  in  subtile  powder.  This  white  will  keep  a  long 
time- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  71 


LXXXI.     A  good  azure. 

Take  two  ounces  of  quicksilver  ;  sulphur  and  ammo- 
niac salt,  of  each  one  ounce.  Grind  all  toiicther,  and  put  it 
to  digest  in  a  uic-itrass  over  a  slow  heat.  Increase  the  fire  a 
little  ;  and,  when  you  see  an  azured  fume  ari-^ing  take  the 
matrass  off  from  the  fire.  When  cool,  you  will  find  in  the 
matrass  as  beautilul  an  azure  as  the  very  ultramarine 
itself. 

LXXXII>     An  azure  from  silver^  done  in  less  ihan  a 
fortnight. 

Dissolve  in  Very  strong  vinegar,  as  much  gem-salt  and 
rochalum,  asit  will  dissolve.  Put  this  in  anew  pipkin;  and 
over  it  hang  up  laniinas  of  the  finest  tested  silver.  Cover 
the  pot,  and  lute  it  well-  Bury  it  in  the  celkr  ;  and  ten 
or  fifteen  d  ys  after'vards  take  off  the  azure,  which  you 
will  find  about  the  laniinas.  Replace  things  asbelore;  and, 
ten  days  afterwards,  the  same  again  ;  and  repeat  this  pro- 
cess as  many  times  as  you  can  get  any  azure  by  it- 


LXXXIIJ.     To  make  an  azured  toater- 

1.  Gather  wall  wort  grains  between  green  and  ripe,  and 
bake  or  .tew  them  in  a  pan-  When  they  have  boiled  a 
considerable  time,  strain  them  through  a  cloth,  and  keep 
the  juice  in  a  glass  phial ;  its  colour  will  never  change, and 
•will  keep  for  ever  very  fine. 

2-  Have  next  dog*s  dung,  very  dry.  Pulverise  it  very 
fine,  and  sitt  it  through  a  silk  sieve.  Then  grind  it  on  a 
a  marble  with  the  wallwortjuice,and  a  mullar.as  painters 
do  their  colours,  and  you  will  find  this  paste  of  a  very 
fine  aziire  colour. 

3  Now,  if  you  tinge  any  water  with  this,  by  putting  it 
in  a  phial  to  soak,  you  may  dye  whatever  you  will  with  it, 
such  as  thread>  cottoni  cloth,  &c. 

LXXXIV'     Another  way  of  making  azure- 

Take  the  bulk  of  a  filbert  of  amoniac    salt,  which 

dissolve  in  a  common  half  pint  glass  tumbler  of  water 

Then  pound  and  sift,  all  together,  one  ounce  of  vitriol, 
and  one  and  a  half  of  quick-lime.  Put  this  powder  into 
the  water  in  which  the  ammoniac  salt  was  dissolved.— 
Leave  this  to  infuse  for  the  space  ot  forty-eight  hours,  anjj 
at  the  end  of  that  term  the  azure  shall  be  done. 


72  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 


LXXXV.     Jljine  azure. 

Make  an  incorporation  of  three  ounces  of  verdigrese, 
and  of  an  equ-il  q  lantity  an  anrimoniac  salt,  which  dilute 
with  tartar  vvater,  so  as  to  make  a  thick  paste  of  it  Put 
this  comjjosition  into  a  glass,  and  let  it  rebtfor  afew  days, 
and  you  will  have  a  fine  azure. 


LXXXVI.     Another  -Ofay. 

Pulverise  and  mix  well  together  one  part  of  ammoniac- 
salt,  and  two  ot  verdigrease,  with  a  little  s:  ruse  Then 
pour  over  it  oil  of  tartar,  enough  to  make  a  clear  paste  of 
it.  Put  th's  in  a  glass  vessel,  which  take  cure  to  stop  and 
lute  well.  When  done,  put  it  in  an  oven  along  with  the 
bread,  and  take  it  out  with  it  also,  then  the  azure  will 
be  done. 


LXXXVIT.      Another  -u^ty. 

Take  sublimed  mercury,  four  parts  ;  ammoniac  salt, 
two;  sulphur -yix'uw,  one.  Puhense  the  whtle,  and  put 
the  powder  in  a  niatrass,  which  lute  well  with  the  lute  of 
sapience.  Put  this  m^.trass  on  a  mild  and  slow  fire  ;  and, 
when  you  see  a  white  tume  beginning  to  rise,  stop  the  fire. 
"When  the  matrass  is  cold,  break  it,  and  you  will  find  a 
very  fifie  azure  at  the  bottom.  Now  take  it,  and  work  it 
■with  lukewarm  water  first,  and  then  with  cold. 

JVote.  1  here  are  some  who  absurdly  wash  it  with  lye, 
or  a  strong  lime-water;  but  they  spoil  their  azure  entirely 
What  is  »nost  adviseable,  and  indeed  the  only  preparation 
allowable,  is  to  boil  a  little  white  honev  in  the  water,  and 
and  skim  it ;  and  when  that  water  becomes  lukewarm, 
■wash  the  azure  with  it.  This  may  contribute  to  give  it  a 
fine  colour,  but  the  other  will  certainly  hurt  it. 


LXXXVI  IT:     To  make  an  admirable  tvhite  lead,  Jit  for 
oil  tainting  and eolou  ing  oJpiintS' 

Grind  the  finest  white  lead  in  flake  you  can  find,  on  the 
stone  with  vinegar.  It  will  immediately  turn  black.  Wash 
it  well  in  a  pan  ul  of  water,  and  let  it  settle.  Pour  the 
•water  off  by  inclination,  and  grind  it  again  with  fresh 
vinegar,  then  wash  it  a-new.  Repeat  this  operation  four 
or  five  times,  and  you  will  get  a  roost  beauuiul  white. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  73 

LXXXIX.     The  preparation  cfverdi^reasc 

<jrind  the  verdigrease  with  vinegar,  and  put  it  in  a  piece 
of  brown  bread  dough.  Bake  it  as  you  would  bread  ;  arid 
when  done,  cut  it  open  and  tnke  it  out.  You  will  then 
have  a  very  fine  v«  rdigrease,  fit  to  work  with,  either 
in  oil  or  water,  as  you  like. 

XC.  A  fine  liquid  greeii' 

•  Mix  well  together  one  pound  of  Montpelier  verdigrease, 
and  half  a  pound  of  v,hite  tartar  from  the  same  place. 
Put  this  a  soaking  for  twelve  hours  in  two  quarts  of  the 
stroni^^est  vinegar,  then  reduce  it  by  boiling  to  oie  half. 
Let  It  re'^t  for  two  days,  and  filter  it  afterwards  in  a  bottle, 
wherein  you  keep  it  for  use. 

XCI.     To  make  the  Siiil-de-graijiy  ot^Brvion  pink. 

.  Bruise  and  boil  in  three  quarts  of  water,  four  ounces  of 
French  berries,  to  the  reduction  of  <:ne  hal!.  Strain  all 
through  a  cloth,  <\m\  put  in  this  juice  a  discret»onable 
quantity  of  whitening,  pcundt^d  and  sifted  into  a  subtile 
powder,  so  as  to  n.ake  a  thick  pasie,  which  put  into  small 
tied  bags,  and  set  to  dry  <  n  tiles.  Wh*  n  dj>  it  is  used  with 
gum.    And  to  render  it  fii.er,  you  may-put  some  gamboge. 

XCII.    Tomake  afirieverinilion. 

Make  a  mixture  of  cochineal  powder  and  burnt  alum. 
Stifle  it  quite  hot  in  roi-e  or  pbiitain  water.  It  will  give 
you  the  finest  vermilion  in  the  world. 

XCIII    'A  secret  to  druv}  vjithout  either  ink  or  pencil. 

Rub  a  sheet  of  paper  with  tripolv.  Then  with  any 
blunt  point,  form  your  drawing  on  it.  Whatever  you  trace 
will  be  visible, 

XCI  V.     Tq  make  an  imitation  ofevatnel  on  tin,  for  chimney 
branches,  CfC' 

Get  a  sheet  of  block-tin  very  clean,  and  cut  it  in  the 
form,  shape,  and  figure  you  chuse  to  make  your  flowers 
and  other  things.  Grind  what  colours  you  purpose  to 
make  use  of,  with  clean  water,  and  each  separ  aely,  then 
let  them  dry.  When  you  want  to  employ  iheni,  dilute 
them. each  a  part. with  liquid  varni?h,and  lav  theni  on  with 
the  brush.  Set  the  work  in  the  open  air  for  tear  the  co- 
lours should  run,  and  when  they  are  a  little  thick  end  and 
consolidated,  finish  drying  them  before  a  gentle  fire^ 


74  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c 


XCV.     A  valuable  secret  to   make   exceeding  good    crayons, 

as  hard  as  red  chalet    discovered  hy  Prime  Rupert,  brother  to 

Prince  Palatin. 

Grind  on  the  stone  some  tobacco-pipe  clay,  with  com- 
mon water,  so  as  to  matie  a  paste  of  it.  Then  take  sepa- 
rately each  colour,  and  grind  them,  when  dry,  on  the  stone, 
so  Hue  as  to  sift  ihem  throu»;h  a  silk  sieve.  Mix,  of  each 
of  thecolourb,  with  your  first  white  paste  as  much  as  will 
make  it  of  a  higher  or  paler  hue,  and  embody  the  whole 
•with  a  little  common  honey  and  gum-arabic  water. 

J^^ote.  Y  )u  must  be  attentive  to  make  crayons  of  various, 
degrees  of  hues  in  each  colour,  for  the  chiaros  and  oscuros, 
or  lights  and  shadr-s.  Then  roll  each  crayon  between 
two  boards  very  clean,  and  set  them  to  dry  on  paper  for 
two  days  in  theshide.  To  co  nplete  their  drying  lay  them 
in  the  sun  ;  and  tiien  you  may  use  them  with  satisfaction 


XCVI.      To  render  the  stone- cinnabar,  and  vermilion  finer  ; 
and  at  the  same  time  to  prevent  them  from  blackening 

1.  You  raise  the  hue  of  the  stone  vermilion,  if,  in  grind- 
ing it,  syou  add  gamboge  water,  tinged  with  a  httle  saffron. 
This  preparation  extt-nds  only  to  the  red. 

2.  With  respect  to  the  orange  colour,  you  must  add 
some  nninium  to  it. 

3  For  the  yellow,  put  a  discretionable  quantity  of 
orpine  in  cakes,  prepared  as  follows:—  lake  the  fiHest 
orpine  you  can  find,  and  grind  it  well  with  water.  Make 
it  in  little  cakes,  and  set  it  to  dry  on  paper-  When  dry, 
pulverise  and  u^e  it. 

4.  For  the  gridelin,  take  French  sorrel  and  boil  it  in 
water,  to  draw  as  strong  a  tincture  from  it  as  you  possibly 
can.  Then  have  whitehead  (  dried  in  cakes,  and  pre- 
pared after  the  method  abovementioned  for  the  orpine) 
and  grind  it  a-new  with  this  sorrel  tincture,  then  dry  it 
Grind  and  dry  it  again,  and  repeat  this  operation  with  the 
sorrel  tincture,  till  you  have  obtained  the  d^ired  point  of 
colour. 

XCVII.     Process  used  in  making  Eastern  carmine. 

1.  Have  a  two  quart  glazed  pipkin. quite  new, wash  itwith 
boiling  water,  then  fill  it  with  water,  very  clean  and  filter- 
ed. Set  it  on  blasting  coals,  and  when  it  begins  to  boil, 
throw  in  a  drachm  of  chouan  in  fine  powder,  which  boil 
very  qu  ck  for  near  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  Then  strain  thi% 
water  through  a  cloth  washed  in  lye,  but  not  with^  soap, 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  75 

and  receive  it  in  another  new  glazed  pipkin,  washed  as  the 
first.  Put  this  on  a  fire  not  quite  so  blasting  as  the  first ; 
and,  when  it  begins  to  give  signs  of  boiling  throw  in  an 
ounce  of  the  finest  cochineal,  pulverised  very  fine.  Stir 
often  with  a  hazel  stick,  stripped  of  its  peel,  and  let  boil 
gently  for  near  a  quarter  of  an  hour  ;  then  throw  jjjfi&ixty 
grains  of  autour  in  subtile  powder  and  keep  it  boning^for 
half  aquarterof  an  hour.  Take  it  offfrom  thefire,andthrow 
in  sixteen  graiv^s  of  Rojitan  alum  in  powder,  then  strain  it 
irn mediately  tlirough  a  clean  cloth,  washed  with  lie.  and 
no  soap,  and  receive  it  in  two  different  large  china  bowls, 
new  and  perfectly  clean.  Place  these  m  a  room,  where 
they  will  be  perfectly  free  from  dust,  at.d  lei  them  rest 
there  for  a  week,  that  the  carmine  niay  have  time  to 
make  a  precipitation. 

2-  At  the  end  of  this  term,  decant  out  gently  vour  tinc- 
ture into  .two  other  china  bowls,  of  the  same  size  as  the 
two  former  and  as  pertecth  cl-  an,  taking  great  care  in 
decanting,  to  doit  sc  g(-r<lv  that  the  liqit^r  niay  not  carry 
the  carmine  along  with  it.  Then  dry  in  a  sha^le  the  carmine, 
■which  js  lett  in  the  bottom  of  >our  btwls,  gather  it  with 
a  little  brush,  and  ke^p  it  very  cleanlv- 

3.  Eight  or  ten  days  afterwards,  more  or  less,  decant 
again  the  tincture  which  is  in  the  secord  boAl  into  a  i  ew 
varnished  pipkin,  then  dry  and  gather  th-  carmine,  which 
is  at  the  bottom,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  first. 

4.  Then  set  the  pipkin,  in  which  the  cat  n)ine  has  been 
decanted  for  this  second  tin  e,  on  the  fire,  ai.d  vaporise  fhe 
liquor  gently,  till  the  ground  remains  in  the  ccnsisience  of 
a  pap.  Thispap-lfke  ground  must  then  be  put  in  several 
small  china  cups,  and  placed  in  the  sun  to  dry,  which  will 
procure  you  again  anorhtr  carmine,  darker,  ard  nuch 
less  valuable  than  the  first.  Should  there  happen  any 
inoistness  on  your  last  cups,  take  it  off  immediately,  but 
gently,  and  with  a  great  deal  ot  care. 

5.  In  order  to  take  the  writer  off  from  your  china  bowls, 
you  might  make  use  ol  another  r.  ethod.  viz-  a  very  fine 
and  clean  sponge  in  the  following  manner  :  Dip  your 
spunge  into  very  clear  and  pure  water,  and  thete  work 
it  well  with  vour  haiid,  soaiiing  and  |)ressir-g  it  alternately, 
till  you  have  rendered  it  very  soft.  1  hen  press  and  squeeze 
it  dry  in  a  clean  towel.  Now  if  you  only  approach  it  to  the 
superfice  <  f  the  tincture  water!  it  will  imnjediateiy  fill  it- 
self with  it,  and  you  may  squeese  it  into  another  enpty 
bowl,  thus  repeating  the  same  process,  till  you  have  got 
it  all  out  of  tlie  first  bvvls  ;  taking  care  every  time  you 
approactt  it  to  the  surfc^ce  ot  the  wat«r  r,  lest  it  should  touch 
the  carmine  ;  for  no  doubt  but  it  would  carry  some  along 
with  the  water. 

6.  if  you   dissolve  one   drachm  of  mineral  crystal  into 


76  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

this  tincture,  by  boiling  it  to  th  it  effect  for  five  or  six 
minutes,  it  will  heln  a  great  deal  the  precipitation  of  the 
colonr,  ^'roTfi  which  you  take  out  afterwards  the  water  with 
a  sponi^e,  as  we  said  before-  Should  the  water  you  have 
thus  drawn  out  be  still  tinged,  vou  mav  add  some  mote 
mineral  crystal  to  it  again  ;  boil  it  as  before,  st'ain  it 
throua;h  a  cloth,  and  let  it  settle.  By  these  means  you 
will  have  very  fine  crimson  carmine. 

XCVIII.      The  process  observed  in  making'  the  lakC' 

1.  Take  one  pound  of  Alicant  kali,  or  Bril-ash,  pulver- 
ised, which  put  in  a  kettle  with  four  quarts  of  spring  wa« 
ter.  Boil  the  whole  for  the  space  of  a  quarter  of  an  hf)ur, 
keeping  stirring  all  the  while  with  a  stick,  then  take  it 
fro  n  the  fire,  and  let  it  cool,  so  as  to  be  able  to  keep  vour 
finger  in  it  without  scalding.  When  it  is  ;n  that  state, 
throw  it  in  a  jellv-bag,  made  of  cloth,  to  filter  it,  and  ren- 
der it  perfectly  clr-ar.  Pat  it  next  in  a  new  glazed  pipkin, 
with  one  ounce  of  finely  pulverised  cochaneal,  previously 
'  diluted  bv  degrees  with  some  of  the  same  lye.  Set  it  a  boil- 
ing for  half  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  and  never  cease  to  stir  it 
wifh  a  stick  all  the  while  it  is  on  the  five — You  may,  if  you 
chuse,  add  one  drachm  of  serra  merita  in  fii»e  powder,  at 
the  same  time  with  that  of  the  chochineal ;  it  will  render 
your  lake  the  redder — When  the  whole  shall  have  boiled 
the  prescribed  time,  take  it  offihe  fire,  and  let  the  tincture 
cool,  in  order  to  pass  it  through  a  cloth,  or  the  abote  men- 
tioned jelly-bag.  Set  a  large  stone  pan  under  the  bag.  to 
receive  the  tincture  which  shall  filter  ;  atid,  when  all  is 
well  drained,  take  the  bag,  turn  it  to  throw  oif  all  the 
dregs,  and  wash  it  well,  inside  and  outside,  in  cL  ar  water, 
and  wring  it  quite  dry- 

2.  Now  hang  again  this  same  bag  at  two  feetdistance,  or 
thereabout,  above  the  pan  wherein  the  tincture  did  run, 
and  now  is.  Dissolve,  in  about  two  quarts  of  warm  spring 
water,  six  ounces  of  Roman  alum  well  poimded,  that  it 
may  more  readily  melt.  When  this  dissolution  is  no  more 
than  lukewarm,  have  somebody  to  pour  it  for  you  in  the 
above  jelly-bag  whileyou  stir  with  a  stick  what  runs  from 
it  into  your  tincture,  and  do  so  till  the  whole  is  passed 
through,  and  the  tincture  froths  no  more — I  hen  wring 
well  your  bag  again,  to  express  all  the  alum's  dissolution 
from  it  into  your  tincture,  and  wash  it  again  afterwards  in 
clear  water,  as  before- 

3-  Hive  another  stone  pan  like  the  first,  hang  your  bag 
again  over  it,  and  pour  all  your  tincture  in  it.  It  it  run  clear 
like  water,  vou  may  then  let  it  go  so ;  if  not,  put  it  again  in 
the  bag  over  the  other,  and  continue  so  to  do  till  it  abso- 
lutely does  run  clear- 


Secrets  in  arts,  trades,  &c.       77 

If, however,  after  having  repeated  this  three  or  four  times, 
it  should  ct^ntinue  to  run  tm^ed:  dissolve  t^vo  or  three 
ounces  more  ot  pulverisedUoman  aluns  in  about  two  quarts 
of  that  tingf  d  water,  then  stir  and  mix  it  well  in  the  whole 
quantity  ot  cincture,  then  pour  it  a^ain  in  the  bag  where 
the  lake  is,  re- pouring  again  and  agiam  what  shall  run  first 
from  it,  till  it  runs  quite  clear,  and  does  not  even  stain  the 
paper. 

4.  Then  let  drain  well  the  lake  which  is  In  the  bag  ; 
and  with  a  box- spoon  take  it,  and  spread  it  on  pieces  of 
cloth,  laid  on  plastered  stones,  and  let  it  dry,  in  the  shnde 
•where  there  is  no  dust,  or  where,  at  least,  you  may  pre- 
serve it  from  any, 

XCIX.     To  make  the  fine  columbine  lake, 

1.  Take  half  a  pound  of  the  finest  Brasil  wood  you  can 
find.  Cut  it  in  small  bits,  and  pound  it  m  an  iron  mortar. 
Put  this  in  a  new  glazed  pipkin ;  pcur  over  it  two  quarts 
ot  strong  wine  vinegar  Let  this  infuse  without  the  assis- 
tance of  any  heat  tor  three  whole  days.  Boil  it  r.ext  for 
halt  an  hour  ;  then  add  <>ne  ounce  of  pulverised  Roman 
alum,  and  boil  it  agam  for  the  space  ot  three  quarters  of 
an  hour,  that  the  alum  mav  the  uore  periectly  be  dissolv- 
ed, and  the  stronger  the  colour. 

2.  Take  the  pot  off  the  fire  ;  and  rasping  the  softest 
part  of  a  dozen  cuttle  fish  bones,  add  this  powder  to  it. 
Replace  the  jiot  on  the  fire,  and  stir  the  contents  till  you 
see  a  froth  rising  on  the  composition ;  when  inimediately 
taking  the  pot  off  from  the  fire  again,  cover  with  its  lid, 
and  let  it  stand  for  a  week.  During  that  space  ot  timeyou 
must,  however,  carefully  stir  this  matter  four  times  a  day. 

3.  Have  next  a  glazed  pan,  filled  with  dry  sand  as  high 
as  three  finger  from  the  brim.  In  this  s md  put  your  pot 
half  way  in.  Place  all  on  a  charcoal  fire,  till  it  nearly 
boils  ;  then,  taking  the  pot  off  from  the  fire,  run  the  liquor 
through  a  clean  cloth.  Put  it  in  differt  nt  retorts,  and  set 
them  half  way  in  the  sar.d  again,  which,  by  this  time, 
ought  to  be  q-.ute  cold.  Replace  all  on  the  fii  e  as  before, 
and  keep  it  there  till  it  begins  to  simmer  ;  then  taking  it 
from  the  fire,  let  it  cool,  and  the  lake  is  done.  But  it  must 
not  be  used  till  twelve  days  after. 

JVote.  When  the  tincture  is  in  the  retorts,  you  may  put 
in  each  of  them  half  a  gill  of  lye,  made  with  vine  branch 
ashes.  When  you  put  the  powder  of  cuttle  fish-bones  in 
the  tincture,  you  must  take  care  it  is  warm.  The  residue 
which  is  found  at  the  bottoms  of  the  retorts  ought  not  to  be 
thrown  away,  as  it  is  very  good  to  paint  in  water  colours^ 

H 


rs  SECRETS  IN  ARTS.  TRADES,  &c. 

C     JJiiie  rcdxoaterj  for  miniature  painting. 

1.  Put  in  a  new  glazed  pipkin  one  ounce  oi  I'e-namburg 
Brasil  wood,  finely  rasped.  Pour  thee  pints  of  spring  wa- 
ter on  it,  with  six  drachms  of  fine  white  isine;lass  chopped 
very  snnall  Place  the  pot  on  warm  ashes,  for  three  days, 
during  which  you  are  to  keep  up  the  same  degree  of  heat. 

2.  When  the  isinglass  is  melted,  add  two  ounces  of 
kermes  in  ^rain.  one  of  alum,  and  three  drachms  of  borax, 
•well  pounded.  Boil  this  gently  to  the  reduction  of  one  half; 
then  strain  the  liquor  through  a  cloth,  bottle  and  stop  it 
■well,  and  set  it  in  the  sun  for  a  week  before  using. 

J\'ote.  This  water  may  very  properly  be  used  as  a  wash 
to  give  an  agreeable  bloom  to  pale  faces. 

CI.  The  receipt  of  the  Jine  Venitian  lake. 

1.  Take  one  pound  of  good  pearl  ashes-  Put  it  in  a  large 
copper;  then,  pour  over  it  six  gallons  of  spring  water. 
Let  the  pearl  ashes  soak  thus  twenty-four  hours,  after 
which,  set  the  cop])er  on  the  fire,  and  boil  it  for  one  quar- 
ter of  an  hour  Then  filter  through  a  cloth  jelly-bag,  and 
receive  th-  hlteration  in  a  stone  pan- 

2.  If  noi  quite  clear,  filter  it  till  it  is  ;  changing  the  pan 
only  underneath,  pour  what  ran  thick  in  the  bag  attain. 
When  all  is  new  filtered  and  clear,  put  it!  the  cop], er 
again,  which  must  have  been  previously  washed,  and  set 
it  on  the  fiie  to  boil-  When  it  bods,  throw  in  two  pounds 
of  fine  sc:arlet  fl^icks  which  boil  to  whitt-ness  Ihtn  hlter 
again  thisl'.e  tinged  with  scarlet  colour,  in  the  before- 
•mentioni-d  jelly- bag,  and  press  well  the  flocks,  that  there 
mav  not  reuDain  any  colour  in  them. 

Observe  that  your  bag  may  serve  both  for  the  lake  and 
tincture,  without  being  at  the  trouble  of  cleansing  it,  you 
must  not  hi  er  through  it  the  second  Ive  in  whiCh  the  scar- 
let is  For  should  y<  u  pour  this  lye  from  your  copper,  di- 
rectly into  it,  the  scarlet  flocks  would  undoubtedly  run 
Willi  the  lye,  which  \»  uuld  give  you  an  infinite  deal  of  trou- 
ble to  vei  out  the  bag,  alter  ihe  hkeruig  of  the  tincture. 
And  the  least  bit  ot  it  would  entirely  spoil  the  lake  ;  to 
avoid  all  these  inconveniences,  strain  your  !^econd  lye 
either  through  a  cioth,  or  another  ba^  by  itself 

3  While  thv^  tincture  is  filtering,  get  the  copper  well 
Gleaned,  and  wiped  dry.  Put  the  filtered  tincture  in  it. 
Dissolve,  over  the  fire,  in  a  glazed  earthen  pan,  half- a 
pt-und  of  Ron-an  alum  in  one  quart  of  spring  water  Then 
strain  it  quickly,  and  while  w^rai,  pour  it  in  your  tif.cture, 
keep  stirring  all  the  wlnle,  and  a  terwards,  till  all  the 
froth  has  quite  subsided.  Boil  next  altogether  for  the 
space  or  halt  a  quarter  of  an  hour.    1  hen  throw  it  in  the 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  5cc.  79 

same  bag,  that  filtered  your  first  lye,  and  receive  the  fil- 
teration  into  a  clean  stone  pan 

4.  Besides  this  :  boil  aj^ain,  in  another  quart  of  spring 
water,  half  a  pound  of  Fernamburg  Brasil  wood, cut  and 
bruised  in  an  iron  mortar-  Strain  it  throujrh  a  cloth,  and 
pour  it  along  with  the  above  dissolution  of  Roman  alum  in 
the  jelly-bajr.  '^^^^  stir  it  to  run  altogether. 

5.  After  all  is  run  out  of  the  bag,  throw  in  again  half  a 
pint  «f  quite  cl^ar  and  pure  spring  water. 

6.  When  nothing  runs  any  more  out  of  the  bag,  the  lake 
is  left  in  it-  Take  it  out  with  a  box-spoon,  and  spread  it 
on  plaisterflat  stones,  three  fingers  thick,  and  about  half  a 
foot  square,  covered  with  white  cloth  of  the  same  size. 
For  should  there  be  no  cloth  on  the  plai^ter,  the  lake 
would  stick  to  it. 

J\fote-  It  often  happens  for  the  first  water  which  runs 
out  ot  the  bag  to  be  muddvj  and  to  carry  some  lake>long 
with  it.  But  you  must  continue  filtering  till  it  comes  bright 
and  clear.  Then  taking  eft  the  pan  from  underneath, and 
substituting  another,  put  that  muddy  liquor  into  the  bag 
again.  Should  th^  filtration  by  chance  continue  to  run  red, 
as  it  soiT  etimt's  happens,  you  must  still  keep  filtering  the 
iiquor  through  the  bag,  till  it  is  clarified. 

CIL      Directions  for  colouring  prints, 

1-  All  the  colours  which  are  used  for  colouring  prints 
are  grinded  with  gum  water  ;  the  calcined  green  only 
excepted,  which  grmds  with  vinegar. 

2.  The  chief  of  these  colours  are,  fine  azure,  vermilion, 
Venetian  lake,  fine  verditure,  white  lead,  calcined  green, 
umber,  Cologn  earth,  indigo,  French  berriesjuicej  yellow 
ocnre,  yellow-massicot  ;  white  massicot,  brown  ochre, 
bistre,  prepared  soot  lamp-black,  and  brown  red. 

3.  For  complexions,  make  a  mixture  of  white  and  ver- 
milion, n)ore  or  less,  according  a^  you  want  the  colour 
For  the  lips,  it  is  a  mixture  of  lake  and  vermilion,  and  the 
shades  are  made  with  white  and  vermilion,  and  a  great 
deal  of  umber. 

4.  For  fair  hair,  join  a  good  deal  of  white  with  very  little 
umber.  If  a  carrotty  colour,  take  yellow  ochre  and  brown 
red  i  the  shade  with  bistre  and  lake  mixed  together  If 
light,  only  mix  some  black  and  white  and  umber  together. 

5.  Clothes,  are  made,  if  linen, with  white  lead  and  a  little 
blue  ;  it  stuflTs,  with  white  lead  alone,  and  the  shades  with 
a  grey  colour,  made  by  means  of  a  mixtuie  of  black  and 
white  lead  together,  if  a  white  cloth,  you  must  make  a 
mixture  ot  white  and  umber  together,  and  shade  it  with 
a  corr.pound  of  umber  and  black.  If  a  red  cloth,  use 
vermilion  in  the  lighter  parts  of  the  folds,  lake  and  ver- 


so  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec 

milion  for  the  clear  shades  ;  the  lake  alone  laid  on  the 
vermilion,  will  form  the  dark  shades- 

CI  (I.    Directions  for  the  mixture  of  cfAours' 

1.  The  pale  yellow  for  the  lights,  is  made  with  white 
massicot.  The  chiaro  oscuro,  with  the  massicot  and  um- 
ber.    The  dark  shade  with  umber  alone- 

2.  The  orange  colour  is  made  with  black  lead  for  the 
lights,  shade  with  the  lake. 

3  The  lake  is  used  very  clear  for  the  lights,  in  draperies, 
and  thicker  for  the  shades- 

4.  The  purple  is  made  with  blue,  white,  and  lake,  for 
the  lights ;  blue  and  lake  only  for  the  clear  shades'  and 
indigo  and  bJueforthe  darker  ones. 

5.  The  pale  blue  is  used  for  the  lights,  and  for  the 
clear  shades  a  little  thicker  ;  but  for  the  darker  shades, 
mix  the  indigo  and  blue  together. 

6.  The  gold  like  yellow  is  made  with  yellow  massicot 
for  the  lights  ;  and  the  clear  shades  with  a  mixture  of 
black  lead  and  massicot ;  the  darker  shade  with  lake, 
yellow  ochre,  and  very  little  black  lead  :  and  the  darker 
of  all,  with  Cologn  earth  and  lake- 

7.  The  green  is  of  two  sorts-  The  first  made  with  massi- 
cot and  blue,  or  blue  and  white  ;  and  for  the  shades,  make 
the  blue  predominate  in  the  mixture-  The  other  is  made 
with  calcined  green  ;  and  French  berries  juice,  mixed 
and  calcined  green  ;  and  you  may  form  their  shades 
by  addition  of  indigo- 

8-  For  trees  you  mix  green  and  umber  together- 

9.  The  grounds  are  made  in  the  same  way  ;  wherever 

there  is  any  green,  take  calcined  green,   with  French 

berries  juice. 

10-  For  the  distance,  mix  green  and  blue  together  ;  and 
mountains  are  always  made  with  blue- 

11-  The  skies  are  likewise  made  with  blue,  but  you 
must  add  a  little  yellow  to  them,  when  it  comes  near  the 
mountains  to  make  the  transition  between  that  and  the 
blue  mix  a  little  lake  and  blue  together  t.3  soften  it. 

12.  Clouds  are  made  with  purple  ;  if  they  be  obscure  ; 
you  must  mix  lake  and  indigo  together. 

15.  Stones  are  made  with  white  and  yellow  mixed  toge^ 
ther,  and  their  shades  with  black. 

CIV.  Directions Jor painting  fresco. 

1.  Lay  on  the  intended  wall  a  coat  of  rifted  silver  sands, 
mixed  with  old  slack  lime,  pulverised  and  sifted  also- 
This  coat  is  not  to  be  laid  on  the  wall,  but  in  proportion 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c.  81 

as  you  paint  :  therefore  prepare  no  more  at  a  time  than 
you  are  sure  to  paint  over  in  one  day,  while  fresh  and 
moist.  The  body  of  the  wall  on  which  you  lay  this  coat 
must  previously  be  pargetted  with  plaister,  or  mortar 
made  with  sand  and  lime.  And  if  tht-  paintings  ai  e  to  be 
exposed  to  the  injuries  of  the  weather,  the  m.ason's  work 
must  be  made  of  brick  or  freestones  very  dry. 

2.  Before  you  begin  to  pa-nt,  ynu  musr.  prepare  your  de- 
signs in  their  tuU  intend-  d  size,  on  paper,  and  chalk  them 
one  after  another  on  the  wall,  in  proi)ortion  as  you  work, 
and  no  longer  than  half  an  hour  after  the  coatot  prepared 
river  sand  has  be<  n  laid  on.and  wt  11  polished  with  a  trowel. 

3.  In  these  sorts  <if  paintings  all  the  compounded  and 
artificial  made  colours  as  well  as  most  ot  the  mineralones, 
are  rejected  They  use  hardly  any  otlier  but  earths,  which 
may  preseive  their  hue  and  d-fend  it  trom  bemg  burnt  by 
thehme.  x\ndthat  the  work  may  preserve  its  beauty, you 
must  employ  the  n  quicKly  wnile  the  coat  underneath  is 
still  moist  ;  and  never  as  some  do;  touch  them  over  after 
they  are  dry,  with  colours  diluted  in  yolks  of  eggs,  glue, 
or  gum,  because  these  colours  always  blacken,  and  never 
keep  that  vvucity  and  brilliaiscy  tiiose  have  which  have 
been  laid  at  first  when  the  ground  was  moist  In  the  case 
of  paintings  exposed  in  the  air,  this  s^rt  of  touching  up  is 
is  never  good,  and  too  often  scales  otf  in  a  short  time. 

CV.  Directions  for  the   choice,   use  and  composition  of 
the  colours  emfiLoyed  Jor  the  abovt  purjtoae. 

The  colours  made  use  of  for  the  above  purpose,  are 
such  as  follow. 

1  I'he  white  is  made  with  a  lime  which  has  been  slack- 
ed for  a  great  while,  and  white  marl)le  in  subtle  ))owder, 
mixed  in  about  equal  quantities.  Sometimes  no  more 
than  a  quarter  part  of  the  marble  dust  is  required,  which 
depends  entirely  on  the  quality  of  the  lime,  and  cannot  be 
known  but  when  you  come  to  use  it;  for  if  there  be  too 
much  marble,  the  white  will  turn  black. 

2  Ochre  or  brown  red,  is  a  natural  earth. 

.  3.  Yellow  ochre  is  also  a  natural  earth,  which  becomes 
red  if  you  burn  it. 

4  The  obscure  yellow,  or  yellow  ochre,  which  is  also 
a  natural  earth,*and  slimy,  is  to  be  got  by  th.  streams  of 
iron  .-nines.     It  receives  a  fine  colour  from  calcination. 

5.  Naples  yellow,  is  a  sort  o;  filth,  which  gathers  round 
the  nriines  of  brimstone  ;  and  though  it  be  usrd  in  fresco 
paintings,  its  colour  nevertheless,  is  not  so  good  as  that 
which  is  made  of  earth,  or  yellow  ochre  and  white  mixed 
together. 

H  2 


82  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c, 

6.  The  purple  red  is  a  natural  earth,  the  product  of 
England,  and  i.s  used  instead  of  lake. 

7.  The  tervete  from  Verona  in  Lombardy,  is  a  natural 
e  irth  which  is  very  hard  and  dark.  There  is  also  another 
son  of  terxiertC' 

8.  The  ultramarine,  or  la/iis  lazuli,  is  a  hard  stone,  and 
of  a  difficult  preparation.  This  colour  subsists  and  keeps 
itstlt  fine  much  longer  than  any  other  colour.  It  is  not  to 
be  ground,  but  diluted  only  on  the  pallet  with  oil.  As  it 
is  very  dear,  vou  may  spare  using  it  in  fresco  paintings, 
and  supi'ly  it  by  smalt,  which  answers  the  same  purpose, 
particularly  in  skies. 

9.  Smalt  is  a  blue-colour,  which  has  a  very  little  sub- 
stance. It  is  used  in  great  landscapes,  and  stands  very 
■well  the  open  air. 

^  10.  Umber  is  an  obscure  earth.  It  requireth  to  be  cal- 
cined in  an  iron  box,  if  you  want  to  make  it  finer,  brown- 
er, and  of  a  better  look. 

1 1  C'  tlogn  earth  is  a  sort  of  rusty  black,  which  is  apt  to 
discharge,  and  turn  red. 

12.  The  earthen  bhck,  is  a  black  which  comes  from 
Germany.  There  is  another  sort  of  German  black,  which 
IS  a  natural  earth,  and  makes  a  bluish  black,  lik&that  of 
charcoal.  This  sort  of  black  is  that  which  is  used  for  mak- 
ing printer's  ink..  There  is  another  still,  which  is  made 
with  burnt  wine  lye. 

Such  are  all  the  colours,  which  are  preferably  to  be 
used  inyr^sco-painting.  Grind  and  dilute  them  with  wa- 
ter. Before  begmning  to  work,  prepare  your  principal 
colours,  and  put  each  by  themselves,  in  small  gaUipots.  It 
is  necessary  to  know  that  except  the  purple  red,  the 
brown  red,  the  yellow  ochre,  and  all  the  blacks,  (those 
particularly  which  have  passed  through  the  fire)  turn 
paler  as  the  Jresco  dries. 

CVJ.  Directions  for  fiainting  in  oil  on  a  wall. 

Method  1. 

You  must  when  the  wall  is  perfectly  dry,  give  it  two  dt 
three  coats  of  boiling  oil,  or  morcj  it  necessary,  so  that  the 
face  of  the  wall  may  remain  greasy,  and  can  soak  in  no 
more  ;  then  lay  another  coat  ot  ficcaiive  colours,  whch  is 
^one  as  follows.  Grind  some  common  whitening,  or  chalk, 
red,  ochre,  and  other  sorts  of  earth,  pretty  stiff,  antl  lay  a 
coat  of  it  on  the  wall.  When  this  is  very  dry,  then  draw 
and  paint  on  it  whatever  you  will,  observe  to  mix  a  little 
varnish  among  your  colours,  that  you  may  not  be  obliged 
to  varnish  them  afterwards* 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.f&c.  83> 

CVII.  Method  % 

In  order  it  may  sooner  dry.and  that  the  dampness  should 
not  occasion  the  colour  to  scale,  as  it  sometimes  hap- 
pens, on  account  of  the  oil  which  resists  it,  make  a  ce- 
ment with  lime  and  marble  dust,  or  tiles  ;  this  lay  on  the 
wall  with  a  trowel,  smoothen  it,  and  then  give  it  a  coat 
of  iintseed  oil,  with  a  larf!;e  brush.  In  the  next  place,  pre- 
pare a  composition  of  Greek  pitch,  mastich,  and  coarse 
varnish,  which  boil  altogether  in  a  pipkin,  and  lay  after- 
wards, fir^^t  with  a  brush  then  smoothen  with  a  hot  trow- 
el, in  order  to  spread  it  more  equally.  When  this  is 
done,  lay  on  a  coat  of  ficcative  colours  above  mentioned, 
then  draw  their  design  and  paint. 

CVlir.  Methods. 

Others  again  make  a  cement,  or  mortar,with  lime  brick= 
dust  and  sand.  Anti  when  this  is  dry,  make  another  with 
lime,  sifted  brick  dust  and  smith*^  embers,  or  iron  scum, 
all  in  equil  q'.idntities.  Beat  and  incorporated  t(>gether,with 
■whites  of  eggs  and  Imtseed  oil,  and  it  will  make  so  strong 
a  cement  as  cannot  be  t  qual  bv  any  thing.  Its  nature  is 
such,  that  while  you  ate  layuig  it  on,  you  must  not  stop 
and  leave  it  till  you  have  fini-^hed,  otherwise  it  will  assur- 
edly crack  in  every  one  of  those  places  where  you  resum- 
ed your  work.  Therefore  go  or.  till  the  whole  wall  is  en- 
tir;^ly  covered  with  it,  ^nd  totally  polished.  And  when 
dry  lav  the  abovementioned  coat  of  ficcative  colours,  and 
proceed  accord mg  to  the  other  directions. 

CIX.  Directionsjbr fiainting  in  oil  on  wood. 

Lay  first  one  coat  ol  size  on  the  wood  ;  then  another  of 
■whitenmg  diluted  with  size,  then  another  again  of  boihog 
oil.  When  this  last  is  throughly  dry,  you  draw  yoor^J&^j- 
sign  and  paint  as  usual.  ^-x":' 

CX,  Directions Jor  fiainting  in  oil  on  canvas.     "^ 

1.  Chuse  a  fine  and  smooth  tick  or  cloth,  which  nail  on 
a  frame.  Pass  over  it  first  a  coat  of  siz-^ .  and  when  dry, rub 
it  ov,r  with  a  pounce  stone  to  e.it  off  all  the  knobs  and 
knots.  The  size  which  you  put  first  on  the  cloth  is  in- 
tended to  lay  down  all  the  threads,  and  fill  up  all  the 
small  holes,  that  the  colour  may  not  pass  through 

2.  When  the  cloth  is  dry,  lay  on  a  coat  of  simple  colour, 
■which  may  not  destroy  the  others  ;  or  example,  brown 
red,  which  is  a  natural  earth,  full  of  substance  and  lasting. 


34  SFXRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec. 

You  may  mix  it,  if  you  like,  with  a  little  white  lead,  it  will 
dry  the  sooner  To  grind  this  colour,  they  use  nut,  or 
lintseed  oil,  and  in  order  to  lay  it  as  thin  as  it  is  possible, 
they  use  a  large  knife  made  on  purpose. 

3.  When  this  colour  is  dry,  you  are  to  rub  it  again  with 
the  pounc-  stone,  to  render  it  smoother.  Then  lay  ano- 
ther coat  of  white  lead  and  charcoal  biack,  to  render  the 
ground  grevish.  In  this  as  well  as  the  preceding  coats, 
you  must  take  care  to  put  as  little  colour  as  you  possibly 
can,  to  prevent  the  cloth  from  era*,  king,  and  for  the  better 
preservation  of  the  colours  which  are  to  be  laid  afterwards 
in  painting.  For  it  is  proper  to  observer,  that  could  there 
br  no  ground  at  all  laid  on  the  canvas  of  a  pictu»'e,  previ- 
ous to  the  painting  of  it,  and  should  one  paint  directly  on 
the  bare  cloth  without  any  other  preparation,  the  colours 
"Would  appear  much  more  to  their  advantage,  and  pre- 
serve their  brightness  much  longer.  A  proof  of  this  as- 
sertion may  be  found  in  the  practice  of  Paul  Veronese  and 
Titian,  who  used  to  impregnate  their  cnnvas  with  water ^ 
colours  only,  and  paint  afterwards  in  oil  over  that  ground. 
This  custom  has  not  a  little  contributed  to  rendt  r  their 
pieces  more  livt-ly  and  bright,  because  the  ground  in  wa- 
ter colours  draws  and  soaks  the  oil  off  the  colours,  which 
must  render  th-m  much  finer,  as  the  greatest  cause  of 
their  dulness  arises  only  from  the  oil,  with  which  they 
are  diluted. 

4.  Thev,  therefore,  who  wish  to  see  their  works  keep 
bright  and  lively,  use  as  little  oil  *as  possible,  and  keep 
their  colours  more  stiff,  mixing  a  little  oil  of  spike  amongst 
them,  which  indeerl  vaporises  very  soon,  but  assists  in  ren- 
dering them  more  fluid  and  tractable  in  working- 

5-  Another  cause  of  the  colours  not  keeping  a  long 
"while  their  beauty  is,  when  they  are  too  much  tormented 
on  the  pnllet  as  it  often  happens  that  painters  conuse 
them  in  working.  Whenever  this  is  the  case,  they  must 
needs  be  hurt,  as  there  are  many  which  adulterate  and 
otherwise  corrupt  the  others  and  spoil  the  vivacity  of 
their  teint.  We  cannot  recommend  too  much  to  be  cau- 
tious and  clean  in  employing  them,  taking  care  to  lay  them 
as  distinct  and  separate  as  possible,  each  by  themselves,, 
on  the  pallet,  without  mixing  them  too  much  with  the 
brush  or  pencil.  Never  mmgle  together  those  colours 
which  are  enemies  to  each  other,  as  all  the  blacks  are, 
particularly,  the  lampblack  ;  but  as  much  as  possible 
try  to  use  them  separately.  When  there  is  occasion  of 
giving  more  stren^h  to  some  parts  of  a  picture,  stay  till 
it  is  dry  before  you  touch  it  up  again,  if  those  colours  are 
obnoxious  to  the  others  with  which  you  are  to  do  it  There 
he  shews  his  judgment  in  paiutingj  who  is  not  precipitate. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  85 

in  laying  his  colours  on  his  pictures,  but  ia)  $  them  thick 
enough,  and  covers  at  several  times  the  carnations,  which 
in  terms  of  art  is  called  emfiater, 

6.  As  to  what  concerui^the  first  laying  of  grounds  on  can- 
vas, in  water  colours,  it  is  a  nnt thod  not  corr.nnojily  prac- 
tised, b(  caii"<e  they  may  scale,  and  cannot  be  rolled  with- 
out some  difficulty.  For  this  reason, the  custom  prevails  of 
gt  nunding  the  canvas  with  oil  colours.  But  when  the  can- 
vas is  good  and  very  fine,  the  less  colour  you  can  lay  or  for 
that  purpose  the  better.  Take  care  only  those  colours 
and  oils  are  good.  The  lead  which  some  painters  use  to 
help  their  colours  to  dry  the  sooner,  soon  destroys  their 
brightness  and  beauty. 

CXI.  Which  colours  are  used  for  the  above  fiurpose. 


1  Though  all  the  different  sorts  of  colours  which  are 
used  in  painting  in  oil  are  not  fit  for  that  called/rf.sco,  yet 
it  is  true,  that  (except  lime  and  marble  dust,  which  can- 
not strictly  be  called  colours,)  every  one  of  those  used  in 
fresco  are  good  in  oil. 

2.  White  lead  is  made  with  lead  which  you  bury.  Se- 
veral years  after  this  lead  turns  into  scrme  sorts  of  flakes, 
■which  are  of  a  very  fine  white.  Though  this  white  exists 
in  painting,  and  is  in  positive  use.  it  hcis,  how-  ver  a  very 
bad  quality,  which  the  oil  corrects  a  little  wh'^n  you  grind 
it  on  the  stoge. 

3.  Certise,  or  flake  white,  is  a  sort  of  rust  or  gathered 
from  lead,  but  of  a  coarser  nature  than  the  other. 

4.  Massicot ;  there  are  two  sorts  of  this  colour.  The 
one  is  yellow,  and  the  other  is  white.  It  is  made  with  cal- 
cined lead. 

5  Orpine,  otherwise  auripigment  Is  used  calcined  and 
non-Calcined.  Tocalcine  it,  they  put  it  in  an  iron  box,  or  in 
a  pot  well  stopped.  But  few  either  calcine  it,  or  even  use  it 
at  all,  the  fumes  are  mortal,  and  if  is  very  dangerous  to 
use  it. 

6.  Back  lead  comes  from  lead  mines.  They  make  very- 
little  use  of  it,  because  it  is  a  bad  colour  of  itself,  besides 
that,  it  is  a  great  enemy  to  the  others. 

7.  Cinnabar,  or  vermilion,  is  drawn  from  the.  mines 
■where  they  gather  quicksilver.  As  it  is  a  mineral,  it  is 
the  reason  why  it  does  not  resist  the  impression  of  the  air, 
nor  the  injuries  of  the  weather. 

8.  Lake.  This  colour,  which  is  an  artificial  made  one, 
is  composed  with  cochineal  or  with  scarlet  flocks;  or 
again,  Brasil-wood,  and  some  other  sorts  of  woods.  There 
are  several  sorts  of  lake  made.  It  does  not  stand  the  wea» 
t^er. 


86  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c. 

9.  Blue  verditure  and  green  verditure  is  very  seldom 
used  in  any  other  works  but  landscapes. 

10.  Indijjo.  This  colour  is  generally  used  for  making 
skies,  or  draperies  ;  when  properly  used,  its  keeps  its 
beauty  a  great  while  You  must  not  mix  it  with  too  great 
a  quantity  of  o.l,  but  lay  it  a  little  thick  and  dark,  because 
it  dibcha'-ges  very  much.  They  use  it  with  great  success, 
diluted  with  gum  water.  It  is  a  good  colour  for  the  com- 
position of  greens. 

11-  Brown  pink,  otherwise  called  siill-de  grain  This 
eoiour  is  drawn  from  what  is  called  French  berries,  which 
they  soak  and  boil,  then  mix  the  result  with  vme-wcod 
ashes,  or  calcined  white  chalk,  to  give  it  a  proper  consis- 
tence. When  this  is  done,  it  must  be  strained  through  a 
very  fine  cloth. 

12.  Lanipblack.  This  is  a  bad  colour,  but  handy  to 
paint  black  draperies 

13.  Ivory  black.  This  black  is  made  indifferently  with 
co;!imon  bones, as  well  as  ivory  burnt.  Ap,fieLLes  discovered 
this  sort  of  black,  if  we  believe  Fliny,  book.  xxxv.  chap.  5. 

14.  Verdigrease  is  the  most  pernicious  of  all  the  colours, 
and  capable  to  ruin  a  whole  picture,  if  there  were  never 
so  little  in  the  colour  with  which  the  canvas  is  first  im- 
pregnated.— It  is  however  of  a  very  agreeable  look.  They 
sometimes  calcine  it  to  prevent  its  malignent  effect ;  but 
it  is  as  dangerous  to  use  it  that  wa\  as  orpine  ;  and  it  is  an 
undoubted  trutii  that,  ho  v.  ever  well  prepared  it  may  be, 
it  must  be  employed  by  itself,  for  it  would  spoil  all  the  co- 
lours with  which  it  niay  be  mixed.  It  dries  very  much, 
and  for  that  purpose  they  mix  a  little  of  it  with  the  blacks, 
wh;ch  can  never  dry  with</Ut.  some  assistance- 

N  B  You  mu.st  be  very  careful  never  to  use,  for  other 
colours,  tne  pencils  with  which  you  shall  have  laid  any 
verdigrease. 

15.  There  are  again  some  other  sbrts  cf  compound  co- 
lours which  are  never  used  but  in  oil. 

CXII.   Which  oils  are  used  in  /minting. 

1.  The  bast  oils  which  are  used  in  painting  are  those  of 
nut  and  lintseed.  To  render  the  colours  n.ore  fluid,  and 
spread  more  easily  under  the  pencil,  they  use  also  oil  of 
spike.  This  oil  abscorbs  itself  in  the  canvas,  and  leaves 
the  colours  without  any  gloss.  It  is  made  wnh  the  flowers 
of  a  plant  called  spikenard,  or  lavender  spike. 

2  There  is  another  oil  drawn  ftom  Melezlan,  rosin,  firs, 
&c  wherefore  it  is  called  oil  of  turpentine.  This  oil  iavery 
good  for  touching  up  pictures  ;  but  it  is  chitfly  good  for 
mixing  with  ultramarine, and  the  different  so:  is  ot  smaV.s, 
because  it  serves  to  make  them  spread  with  more  facility , 


EGRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  SY 

and  evaporatesal  most  immediately.  When  you  make 
use  of  this  oil,  the  less  there  is  of  any  other  oil  in  the  colour 
the  better,  as  they  all  serve  only  to  make  it  turn  yellow. 

3.  There  are  other  oils  again  which  are  denominated 
ficcativeoils,  because  they  serve  to  dry  up  the  others  the 
sooner.  These  are  many  in  number  and  species.  One  sort 
is  nothing  but  the  oil  of  nut,  boiled  with  gold  litharge  and 
a  w)iole  onion  peeled,  which  is  taken  off  after  boiling  ;  this 
onion  serving  only  to  exsiccate  the  greasy  parts  of  the  oil, 
and  to  clarify  it.  Ano-her  sort  is  made  with  azure  in 
powder,  or  smalt,  boiled  in  oil  of  nut.  When  the  whole  has 
boiled,  you  must  let  it  settle,  and  then  skim  off  the  top  it 
is  fittest  for  diluting  the  white,  and  such  of  the  other  co- 
lours as  you  want  to  preserve  purest  and  neatest. 

CXI II.  2^0  take  off  instantly  a  cofiy  from  a  firint^  or  a 
/itcture. 

Make  a  water  of  soap  and  alum,  with  which  wet  a 
cloth  or  a  paper  ;  luy  either  on  a  print  or  picture,  and 
pass  it  once  under  the  rolling  press  ;  then  going  round  the 
other  side  to  take  it  up,  vou  will  have  a  very  fine  copy 
of  whatever  you  shall  have  laid  it  upon. 

CXIV.  Directions  for    making   the    Spanish   carnation. 

Take  bastard  saffron,  wash  dry,  and  grind  it  well. 
While  you  grind  it,  put  in  four  ounces  of  pearl  ashes  to 
every  one  pound  of  saffron  Incorporate  them  well  both 
together,  and  throw  it  into  a  double  cloth  jelly  bag.  Then 
set  a  half  a  pint  of  Spanish  lenn.n  juicr-  «  n  the  fire,  and 
when  just  lukewar'n,  pour  it  on  the  saffron  in  the  bag, 
and  lay  under  it  what  you  want  to  dye.  The  stuff  which 
is  to  be  dyed  ought  previously  to  have  been  boiled  in  alum 
water,  then  rinsed  and  wiped  bt-iweei.  two  clothes,  as  a 
preparatory  process  to  make  it  take  the  dye  better. 

CXV.  To  make  the  Spanish  ladies  royge. 

Vermilion,  carefully  laid  on  a  sheet  of  paper,  from 
which,  by  me  ins  of  wetting  the  tip  of  your  linger  with 
your  spittle,  then  take  it  off  at  will,  and  rub  your  cheeks, 
lips  &c.     The  method  of  tuakiig  it  is  as  follow. 

1.  i'ake  good  scarlet  flocks  and  spirit  of  wine,  or  in  their 
stead,  lemon  juice.  Boil  the  whole  in  an  earthen  pot,  well 
glazed  and  well  stopped,  till  the  spirit  ot  wine  or  lemon 
juice,  has  charged  itst  If  wiihal  the  colour  of  the  scarlet 
flocks. —Strain  this  dye  throuv  h  a  cloth, and  wring  ilhard, 
to  express  well  all  the  colour  out.  Boil  it  titer  wards  with 
a  iitUe  ariibiQ  water,  tdl  the  colour  becomes  very  deep. 


88  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c, 

2.  On  half  a  pound  of  scarlet  flocks  you  must  put  four 
ounces  o*  spirit  of  wine,  and  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water, 
to  soak,  well  the  flocks.  Tht-n  in  the  colour  you  ex- 
tract from  it,  put  the  bulk  of  a  filbert  of  guTi  arabiC)  and 
boil  the  whole  in  a  silver  porringer-  When  this  is 
rea'.ly,  as  .we  said  before,  proceed  as  follows. 

3.  Steep  some  cotton  in  the  colour,  and  wet  some  sheets 
of  paper  with  it  ;  then  let  them  dry  in  the  shade  Re- 
peat this  wettuig,  drying  of  the  same  shtrts  over  again, 
many  times,  till  you  find  they  are  charged  with  rouge  to 
your  satisfaction. 

CXVI.  AJine  lake  made  mth  shell-lac. 

1.  Boil  and  skirq  well,  sixteen  pounds  of  chamber-lye  ; 
then  put  in  one  pouod  of  fine  shell  lac,  with  five  ounces  of 
rochalum,  in  powd-^r-  Boil  all  together,  till  you  see  the 
chamber-lye  is  well  charged  with  the  colour,  which  you 
may  easily  know  by  steeping  a  bit  of  white-  rag  in  it  ;  then 
take  it  o\it  again,  to  see  whether  or  not  the  colour  please 
you  ;  and  if  it  do  not,  let  it  boil  longer,  repeatmg  the 
same  trial,  till  vou  are  nerkctly  satisfied. 

2.  Throw  now  the  liquor  in  a  flannel  bag,  and  without 
suffering  what  runs  into  the  pan  under  to  settle,  repour  it 
into  the  bag  so  many  times,  till  the  liquor  runs  at  last 
quite  clear  and  not  tinged  Then  with  a  wooden  sp  itula, 
take  off  the  lake,  which  is  in  form  of  curd,  form  it  into 
small  cakes,  or  balls,  and  dry  them  in  a  shade  on  new 
tiles ;  then  keep  them  for  use. 

CXVII.  Directions  to  make  cinnabar,  or  vermilioji. 

1  Put  merCurv  (or  quick  silver)  is  a  glazed  dish.  Set  it 
on  a  sand  bath,  and  let  it  b'  well  surrounded  with  the  sand 
every  way.  Pour  some  melted  bri-viStcne  over  it,  and 
•with  an  iron  spatula  keep  constantly  striking,  till  the 
whole  is  coverted  into  a  black  powder- 
s' With  this  powder,fill  the  quarter  part  of  a  retort  with 
a  short  and  wide  neck.  Pi  ace  it  first  on  a  fire  of  cinders. 
Increase  the  fire  by  degrees,  and  continue  it  for  ten 
hours  ;  after  which,  make  a  blastmg  one  for  twelve  hours. 

3.  Observations — By  the  fir«t  fire,  there  will  arise  a 
black  fume. — By  thf  second,  a  yellow, — And  by  the  !  ist, 
a  red  ;  which  signifies  the  perfect  accompUslvment  of  the 
cinnabar. — As  s(4on  as  this  is  the  ca!»e,  let  the  vessel  cool, 
and  you  will  firid  in  the  receiver,  and  in  the  neck  of  the 
retort,  a  very  fine  cinnabar. 

N.  B.  Many,  instead  of  a  glass  retort,  use  earthen,  or 
stone  which  all  equally  bear  the  fire-   Make  a  slow  fire  for 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  89 

about  half  an  hour,   then  increase  it  till  the  red  fumes 
arise.     Both  methods  answer  the  same  purpose. 

CXVIII.  Another  method  of  making  cinnabar- 

*  1.  Melt  brimstone  in  a  pipkin  over  a  slow  fire,  thea 

•  take  it  out,  and  with  one  hand  squeeze  a  knot  of  murcury 
between  your  fingers  through  a  cloth  into  the  melted  sul- 
phur ;  and  with  the  other,  stir  well  till  the  lump  is  be- 
come quite  cold  and  black. 

2.  Put  this  into  a  subtile  powder.with  which  having  filled 
the  fourth  part  of  a  very  long  retort,  lute  it  well,  and  very 
exactly,with  a  good  lute.  Place"  it  next,without  a  receiver, 
for  two  or  three hours,on  a  very  mild  fire;  then  introduce 

•  into  the  retort  a  long  funnel,  which  will  reach  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  retort,  through  that  funnel  pass  along  spatula, 
ivhich  touching  also  the  bottom  of  the  retort,  should  come 
out  ot  the  funnel  five  or  six  inches.  In  the  middle  of  the 
spatula  let  there  be  a  burg  of  lute  round  it,  well  dri- 
ed, which  will  stop  so  well  the  retort  as  to  prevent  it  from 
breathing  any  air.  When  all  this  is  done,  push  on  the  fire 
to  a  pretty  smart  degree,  and  keep  it  for  five  hours. 

3.  At  the  end  of  this  term,  draw  out  the  spatula,  and 
introduce,  through  the  same  way  that  it  came  out,  two 
spoonfuls,  or  thereabouts,  of  your  prepared  powder  of 
brimstone  and  quicksilver,  with  which  you  intend  to  make 
cinnabar,  which  for  that  purpose,  have  kept  warm  in  a 
vessel  by  the  corner  of  the  fire,  that  it  may  not  cool  the 
.retort  in  going  in,  and  thereby  retard  the  operation. 

4.  Continue  so  to  do,  adding  ever  hour  new  matter,  by 
means  of  the  drawing  out  the  spatula  to  introduce  the  new 
powder,  and  replacing  it  quickly,  till  you  have  increased 
your  lump  of  cinnabar  to  the  quantity  of  one  hundred 
weight.  The  spatula's  use  in  tlie  neck  of  the  retort  is  to 
prevent  its  fiUing  itself  up  by  the  sublimation  of  the  mat- 
ter, which  would  occasion  two  evils,  that  of  breaking  of 
the  retort,  and  of  preventing  the  introduction  of  new  pow- 
der to  increase  the  lump  of  cinnabar.  So  that  at  the  same 
time  it  keeps  a  free  passage  into  the  retort.it  nevertheless 
stops,it  too,  by  means  of  the  ball  of  lute  which  is  round  it. 
But  in  the  last  place,  in  order  there  should  remain  no  va- 
cancy in  the  middle  of  the  cinnabar-lump,  take  off  the 
spatula  for  the  last  time,  and  inject  fresh  powder  ;  then, 
without  reintroducing  the  spatula,  stop  the  retort  with  a 
lump  of  lute  only.  Thus  the  longer  you  keep  the  fire  up, 
the  harder  and  redder  the  lump  of  cinnabar  becomes. 

5.  Observations.— This  cinnabar  is  the  very  same  which 
empirics  use   in  fumigation,  along   with    aloes  wood. 


90  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

myrrh,  and  other  aromatics,  to  excite  the  mouth,  or  belly 
flux,  vvhich  they  reiterate  two  or  three  times,  or  till  that 
flux,  is  abundant  enout^h  to  procure  the  cure  of  the  vene- 
ral  disorcler  It  is  the  same  also  which  painters  make  use 
of,  and  which  enters  into  the  composition  of  sealing-wax. 

CXIX.  An  azure  as  fine  as,  and  which  looks  similar  to, 
ultramarinC' 


Grind  well  together  into  powder  three  ounces  of  ammo- 
niac salt>  and  six  of  verdigrease.  Then  wet  it  continu- 
ing to  grind  it  with  oil  of  tartar,  till  you  have  made  it 
pretty  fluid-  Put  this  into  a  glass  matrass,  and  bury  it  five 
days  in  hot  dung.  At  the  end  of  that  term  you  will  find 
your  composition  turned  into  a  fine  azure. 

CXX.  The  same,  as  practised  in  Germany- 

1,  Distil  in  an  alembic,  one  pound  of  vitriol,  half  a  pound 
of  nitre,  and  three  ounces  of  cinnabar.  In  this  water  put 
tinsel  or  copper  ;  they  will  dissolve.  When  the  dissolu- 
tion shall  be  perfected,  add  a  sufficient  quantity  of  calcin- 
ed pewter  to  render  your  liquid  quite  milk-  white  Let  the 
whole  rest  for  three  days,  and  then  you  will  have  a  mid- 
dling azure. 

%  The  liquor  which  stills,  from  the  vitriol,  cinnabar  and 
nitre,  has  the  power  to  dissolve  any  sort  of  metal  what- 
ever. It  has  again  this  additional  virtue,  that  if  you  rub 
the  forehead  ef  a  horse  with  it,  the  hair  will  instantly 
turn,  and  remain  white  at  that  place. 

§IX.  PREPARATION  OF  THE  LAPIS  LAZULI,   TO  MAKE 
ULTRAMARINE. 

CXXL  1.9^  The  general  manifiulation  of  the  ivhole  firo- 
cess  :  each  single  fiart  of  which  shall  be  treated  of  in 
particular  ajterwards. 

1.  Takp  one  pound,  or  whatever  quantity  you  please^ 
oi  lafiis  lazuli  Let  your  stones  be  wtll  chosen,  and  of 
that  si>rt  which  are  streaky  ^ith  gold.  Try  their  quality 
whether  good  or  bad.  which  is  donp  thus.  Break  (  ne  bit 
of  it,  set  it  on  red  hot  coals,  and  blow  as  hard  as  >  ou  can 
for  an  hour,  then  take  it  off  aud  let  it  cool.  If  in  touching 
it,  it  drop  like  mould  or  dust,  it  is  a  sign  it  is  not  worth 
any  tl\ing  ;  but  if  it  remains  hard  and  preserves  its  col  ur, 
it  is  good.  VVhen  you  have  thus  made  your-elf  sure  of  the 
quality  of  the  stone,  break  it  all  in  small  knobs,  put  them 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c.  91 

in  a  crucible  on  a  melting  fire,  which  by  strength  of  bel- 
lows you  push  on  for  an  hour  and  a  quarter-  Then  throw 
them  into  the  strongest  double  distilled  wine  vinegar. 
When  they  are  thus  extinguished,  take  them  out  to  dry* 
and  prepare  the  following  water. 

2.  Boil  a  little  raw  white  honey, with  twopintsof  water.in 
a  glazed  pipkin-  Skim  it  so  long  as  there  comes  any  scum 
on  it  ;  then  take  it  off  to  cool ;  and,  when  cold,  dissolve  in 
it  the  bigness  -of  a  nut  of  the  best  dragon's  blond,  reduced 
into  a  subtile  powder.  Run  this  dissolution  through  a  white 
cloth  into  a  glazed  earthen  pot-  Observe  to  make  your  wa- 
ter(with  that  dragon's  blood)  neither  too  red.  nor  too  clear, 
but  to  keep  a  just  medium  between  both,  that  the  azure 
may  take  a  finer  hue.  With  this  liquor  grind,  for  the  space 
of  an  hour  and  a  half,  the  above  mentioned  lapis^azidi,  then 
gather  it  into  a  large  glazed  vessel,  let  it  dry  in  the  shade, 
but  guard  off  the  sun,  otherwise  it  will  undoubtedly  lose 
its  coloiir.  W^hen  it  is  perfectly  dry,  grind  it  a-new  into 
a  very  fine  powder,  then  pack  and  keep  it  tied  very  closely 
in  fine  white  linen.    Then  proceed  to  the  following  paste. 

3- Take  two  ounces  of  the  best  white  rosin,  an  equal 
quantity  of  Greek  pitch,  and  the  same  quantity  again  of 
mastich,  lintseed  oil,  turpentine,  and  virgin  wax.  Powder 
what  is  powderable,  and  cut  small  wha^s  not-  Put  all  into 
a  new  glazed  pipkin,  and  boil  it  to  perfWtion  ;  which  you 
know  by  letting  a  drop  fall  into  cold  water,  and  taking  it 
out  with  your  fingers.  For  if  it  do  not  stick  to  your  fingers, 
it  is  done  to  perfection.  When  it  is  done  toperfection,run 
it  quite  hot  through  a  sheer  cloth  into  a  pan  of  cold  water, 
•wherein  leave  it  till  perfectly  hard  ;  then  take  it  out  and 
let  it  dry.  When  you  want  to  incorporate  it  with  the 
powder,  proceed  as  follows 

4  Cut  this  paste  into  small  bits,  and  put  it  to  melt  over 
the  fire  in  a  well  tinned  saucepan.  \\'h'^n  the  contents 
come  to  make  a  noise,  throw  in  two  ounces  of  oil  of  hitter 
almonds, and  let  it  boil  for  about  ten  minutes.  In  t4ie  mean 
while  have  yowr  la/its lazuli  powder  ready  in  a  vessel,  then 
pour  over  it  gently,  and  little  at  a  time,  what  is  boiling  in 
the  pipkin,  observing  to  stir  carefully  while  you  pour,  in 
order  to  incorporate  well  this  liquid  with  the  pov.der,which 
being  done  let  the  whole  cool.  Then,  having  rubbed  your 
hands  with  oil  of  olive,  take  this  composition  and  work  it 
well  in  order  to  incorporate  all  perfectly  ;  and,  after  hav- 
ing given  it  the  form  of  a  loaf,  put  it  in  a  glazed  vessel  to 
ket^p  It  for  use. 

5.  When  you  want  to  draw  the  azure  from  it  (which 
must  Jiot  be  less  than  twelve  days  after  this  last  operation) 
begin  first  by  making  a  strong  lye  with  wine  wood  ashes, 
which  vou  strain  through  a  fiannel  bag,  to  get  it  very  clear- 
Then,  putting  it  in  a  copper  boiler*  on  the  fire,  till  it  is  so 


92  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

hot  as  not  to  be  able  to  keep  the  hand  in  without  scalding, 
you  pour  some  of  it  on  \vhat  quantity  ot  the  above  pasttyou 
please,  to  extract  the  azure  from,  and  stir  it  gently  till  it 
beg'ns  to  come  out.  When,  by  thus  stirring  your  past  in 
this  lye,  this  la-^  is  become  well  chare:ed  with  the  colour, 
decrint  it  out  with  aiiother  glased  vessel,  of  which  sorts  of 
vessels  you  must  have  a  good  provision  ready.  Then  pour 
again  so^re  more  ^^arm  lye  on  your  paste,  and  work  it  the 
same  as  before,  till  this  new  lye  seems  sufficiently  charged 
•with  teint,  and  decant  it  out  again  into  another  well  glazed 
vessel.  Pour  new  warm  lye  again  on  your  paste,  and  pro- 
ceed as  before,  continuing  so  to  do  till  the  paste  gives  no 
more  teint  to  the  lye. 

5  Observe,  that  when  the  lapis  is  good,  you  loose  but 
four  ounces  of  it  out  of  one  pound  ,  and  that  you  extract 
twelve  ounces  of  azure  in  the  following  proportion.  Five 
ounces  of  very  fine  ultramarine,  by  the  first  washes  ;  four 
middling,  out  of  the  second,  and  three  base  ones,hy  the  last. 
Each  of  the  different  qualities  must  be  kept  separately, 
and  washed  in  several  clear  lyes,  by  changing  them  from 
vessel  to  vessel  several  times,  with  new  lye  each  time. 
And  when  they  seem  to  you  very  bright,  put  them  a-dry- 
ing  in  a  shade;  but  not  in  the  sun,  in  a  room  perfectly  free 
from  dust.  ^ 

7-  When  it  is  med,  take  a  glass  of  brandy,  in  which  you 
have  put  a  soaking  a  little  Brasil  wood,  and  asperge  the 
ultramarine  with  that  tinged  brandy,  stir  it,  and  let  it  dry  ; 
renew  the  aspersion  for  two  or  three  days,  till  the  azure 
participates  a  little  of  this  teint-  When  it  is  well  dried, 
for  the  last  time,  you  will  find  it  to  be  of  a  most  beautiful 
hue.  Then  put  it  in  small  leather  bags,  and  keep  them 
well  tied. 

CXXII.  2^.  Directions  to  be  observed  in  the  process  of 
prtfiarmg  the  strong  cement  in  which  the  lapis  lazuli  is 
to  be  Incor/ioratedy  to  draw  afterwards  the  azure  Jrom  it, 

1.  Take  first,  clear  and  neat  Venetian  turpentine-,  four 
^dunces;  fine  white  rosin,  six  ;  fine  Greek  pitch,  as  much; 
clear  and  pure  mastich,  three;  fine  shining  white  wax, 
an  equal  quantity  ;  purified  lintseed  oil,  one  and  a  half. 
Then  have  a  well  glazed  pipkin,  quite  new  ;  put  in  it 
first  the  turpentine  and  set  it  on  a  small  and  mild  char- 
coal fire.  Stir  it  with  a  wooden  spatula,  like  that  of 
apothecaries,  till  it  is  well  liquified  ;  introduce,  n-  xt,  the 
rosin  to  it,  by  little  and  little  at  a  time,  and  incorporate  it 
•well  ;  when  this  is  done,  add  the  Greek  pitch  to  it,  in  the 
same  manner,  then  the  mastich  in  powder,  at  three  or 
four  times;  then  the  wax  cat  very  small,  also  by  degrees, 
and  stir  well  till  the  whole  is  perfectly  incorporated  to- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c.  93 

gether.  Above  all,  take  care  to  do  this  with  a  slow  fire, 
otherwise  these  matters  will  undoubtedly  burn,as  they  are 
of  an  inflamable  nature  At  last  put  the  lintseed  oil,  and 
set  the  pot  on  the  fire,  and  let  the  composition  simmer 
till  the  cement  is  quite  done  which  you  know  by  the 
following  experiment. 

2.  Turn  the  spatula  all  round  the  pot  in  the  composi- 
tion, then  rising  it  out,  let  a  drop  or  two  fall  into  a  pan  of 
cold  water.  If  the  drop  spread  on  the  water,  the  compo- 
sition, is  not  done,  therefore  you  must  let  it  simmer  longer 
on  the  fire.  If  on  the  second  trial  the  drop  keep  in  one 
lump,  the  matter  is  done. 

3  When  the  cement  has  acquired  a  tolerable  degree  of 
coldness  in  the  water,  take  it  out  in  a  lump:  and  with  your 
hands  imbibed  with  lintseed  oil,  prepared  and  purified,  as 
hereafter  directed,  for  fear  it  should  stick  to  them,  work  it 
so  well,  that  there  shall  remain  no  more  water  about  it. 
When  this  is  performed,  ihe  cement  is  perfectly  complet- 
ed ;  and  to. preserve  it,  keep  it  perpetually  in  cold  water. 
Therefore,  in  summer,  you  must  change  that  water  every 
day,  and  with  such  precautions,  you  may  preserve  it  eight 
or  ten  years  always  good  for  strong  cement. 

CXXIII.  Another  cement  of  a  softer  nature. 

1.  Take  fine  Venice  turpentine,  four  ounces  ;  fine  white 
rosin,  six  ;  Greek  pitch  ;  as  much  fine  wax.one  ;  and  lint- 
seed oil,  three  parts  of  an  ounce.  Prepare  this  cement  af- 
ter the  same  way  as  the  other  ;  and  observe  carefully  in 
the  doing  of  it  the  same  order. 

2-  Observe,  that  this  son  of  cement  is  sooner  done  than 
the  first,  and  that  it  will  sooner  return  you  the  azure  than 
the  first,  which  is  harder,  will  do.  But  neglect  not,  if  you 
intend  to  work  the  lapis  lazuli  with  both  these  cements, 
you  must  begin  with  the  soft  first.  And  yet  you  are  not  to 
be  kept  ignorant,  that  if  your  lafiis  lazulibe  not  of  the  best 
sort  (which  is  the  gold  streaked  sort)  you  must  guard 
well  from  giving  it  the  two  cements,  in  the  art  of  prepar- 
ing and  giving  the  cement  or  cements,  consists  entirely 
,that  of  making  the  ultramarine  azure  ;  in  that  point 
lies  all  your  gain  or  your  loss.  Thereiore  take  great 
care  to  doit  well. 

CXXIV.  Directions  tofirefiare  and  purify  the  lintseed  oil 
for  the  azure. 

1.  Take  whatever  quantity  you  will  of  fine  lintseed  oil, 
?f  a  fine  saffron  or  gold  colour.    Put  it  in  a  glass,  or  bul- 
13 


94  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

lock's  horn  perforated  at  the  small  end*  Pour  over  thii 
oil  some  cold  water,  and  stir  it  well  with  a  stick,  to  mix  it 
■well,  then  let  it  settle.  When  the  oil  and  the  water,  are 
divided,  open  the  little  hole  which  is  at  the  bottom  of  the 
horn,  and  let  the  water  out.  Put  some  fresh  water  and 
repeating  the  same  process  seven  or  eight  times,  till  the 
water  runs  off  as  clear  as  you  first  put  it  in. 

2.  Thus  your  oil  ishall  be.  perfectly  purified  ;  and  in  that 
state  you  may  keep  it  in  a  well  stopped  glass  bottle  foruse- 

3.  The  oil  of  bitter  almonds  may  absolutely  supply  the 
want  of  this  ;  but  besides  its  being  dearer,  it  is  not  near 
so  good  for  the  purpose. 

f^ote.  That  whenever  we  shall  speak  of  oil,  we  always 
mean  lintseed  oil  thus  prepared  and  purified. 

CXXV.  The  lye  to  ivash  the  ultramarine  with, 

l-Take  eight  or  ten  handfuls  of  pearl-ashes,  made  with 
vinewood  ashes.  Put  this  into  a  box  perforated  at  the 
bottom,  aiid  large  en'-ush  to  hold  a  couple  of  pailfuls  of 
water.  Place  this  b -sket,  and  set  it  so  that  the  water 
cannot  run  out  of  it  without  carr\ing  the  ashes  along  with 
it.  Stop  the  whole  on  the  outside,  before  putting  the 
ashes  into  it,  and  press  these  down  ven  hard,  then  pour, 
by  dt\grees,a  pailful  of  warm  water  over  these  ashes-  VVhen 
these  are  settled  again,  unstop  the  hole,  and  put  a  bung, 
made  of  an  old  list  of  white  cloth,  through  which  you  will 
make  it  run  drop  by  drop  into  a  pan-  Repeat  this  distil- 
lation again,  by  putting  this  same  lye  into  another  perfo- 
rated box.  without  anv  ashes,  and  stop  it  with  another 
bung  of  the  same  kind  as  the  first,  so  thnt  you  may  get 
your  lye  fine  and  clear;  and  put  it  to  keep  in  a  well  glaz- 
ed vessel,  carefully  covered,  for  fear  of  the  dust. 

2.  Now  pour  another  similar  quantity  of  warm  water  on 
the  same  ashes  as  before  ;  proceed  exactly  with  this  se- 
cond water  as  with  the  first,  and  keep  these  two  sorts  of 
water  for  use. 

3.  Repeat  again  the  same  operation,  by  pouring  a  third 
pailful  of  water  on  the  same  ashes,  and  proceeding  in 
every  respect  as  with  ihe  two  former,  you  will  be  possess- 
ed of  three  sorts  of  lye,  of  three  different  degrees  of 
strength. 

4.  These  various  sorts  of  lyes  serve  to  wash  the  cement 
or  paste  in  order  to  draw  the  azure  out.  nfter  the  method 
hereafter  prescribed.  When  you  want  to  proceed  to 
work,  take  of  these  three  different  sorts  of  lye,  and  mix 
them  so  a;*  to  give  them  the  due  degree  of  strength,  ae= 
cording  as  you  think  requisite. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  95 

CXXVL  Another  sort  oflyejor  the  same purfiose. 

There  is  another  sort  of  lye  which  can  be  made  to 
cleanse  the  cement  of  its  unctuosity  and  grease,  and  which 
they  prepare  in  the  following  manner. 

1.  Take  whatever  quantity  of  calcined  tartar  you  like- 
Boil  it  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  in  a  clear  water  1  hen 
let  it  settle,  and  decant  it  into  a  glass  bottle,  stop  it  well, 
and  keep  it  for  use. 

2.  It  is  fit  for  taking  the  grease  off  the  cement  when  too 
unctious.  Likewise  to  wash  all  the  ultramarine  with,  and 
thereby  heighten  its  cohjur. 

3  This  lye  has  also  another  particular  quality,  which 
is  that  of  curing  the  mange,  the  itch,  and  other  cutaneous 
disorders,  by  washmg  with  it.  It  purifies  and  whitens  the 
skin  prodigiously. 

CXXVII.  Directions  for  the  choice  of  the  vessels  m  ivhich 
the  most  impure  ultramarine  is  to  be  ivashea^  in  order  to 
be  mixed  afterwarda  with  the  other  azure. 

1  The  vessel,  if  it  be  an  earthen  vessel,  should  be  well 
hardened  in  the  baking,  and  finely  glazed  in  the  inside,  or 
if  of  brass  or  copper,  should  be  of  a  perlect  polish  all 
round,  and  at  the  bottom,  in  the  inside. 

2.  It  must  be  perforated  by  the  side  with  three  holes,  to 
admit  of  three  cocks,one  toward  the  middle  part,  the  oth- 
fer  lower,  and  the  third  at  two  fingers  breath  from  the  bot- 
tom. 

3.  Though  the  azure  matter  which  is  at  the  bottom  of 
the  vessel  appear  not  to  you  to  be  such,  let  it  lest  eight 
or  ten  days,  and  you  will  be  convinced  of  the  contrary. 
When  vou  plainly  perceive  somewhat  of  azure  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  water,  decant  it  out  as  gently  as  possible  ;  take 
out  that  azure,  wash  it  with  clean  water;  and  you  will 
find  it  as  good  as  the  rest 

CXXVIIL  Observations  for  discerning  the  good  or  bad 
qualities  of  the  lapis  lazuli,  yro/w  which  you  intended  to 
comiiose  utiramarine. 

\st.  Tnal.  Wee  first  the  lapis  lazuli  with  common  wa- 
ter, and  wrap  it  up  in  a  piece  of  fine  white  cloih  or  serg. 
It  will  thereby  becouie  of  a  fine  lustre,  and  purple  colour, 
very  agreeable  to  the  sight. 

M  I  rial  It  you  want  to  know  whether  or  not  it  be 
fine.,  set  it  on  blasting  charcoals,  and  blow  them  continual- 
ly f(^r  u  good  while.  Then  take  it  off  from  the  fire.  If, 
being .  cold,  it  has  not  lost  much  of  its  colour,  it  is  ^ne ; 


96  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c. 

but  if  it  has  lost  none  of  its  colour,  none  can  be  finer.  For 
the  lafiis  which  is  of  a  superior  degree  of  fineness.acquires 
instead  of  loosing  colour,  when  put  to  this  trial. 

^d.  TriaL  For  the  third  experiment,  put  the  lafiis  a  red- 
dening on  an  iron  plate  over  the  fire  ;  then  extinguish  it  in 
the  best  double  distilled  white  wine  vinegar.  If  by  this 
trial  it  acquire  more  colour,  it  is  too  fine  ;  if  it  only  keep 
its  own  without  any  alteration,  it  is  good  and  such  as  }  ou 
can  wish  to  have  it  The  lafiis,  which  on  that  trial  ac- 
quires niore  colour,  may  be  worth  between  thirty  and  for- 
ty shillings  an  our.ce.  But  that  which  keeps  its  own  na- 
tural colour  after  trials,  is  really  scarce  As  to  that 
which  loses  the  colour,  you  can  make  but  very  middling 
and  common  ultramarine  with  it. 

Atfi  Trial  When  you  buy  it  ready  reduced  into  pow- 
der in  order  to  know  whether  or  not  it  be.pure,  and  with- 
out any  mixture-  It  is  this  ;  put  some  of  this  powder  into 
a  goldsmith's  crucible  ;  set  it  on  a  strong  fire  to  make  it 
red  hot,  then  take  off  the  crucible-  If  it  be  enaniel,  you 
will  find  it  melted,  but  if  it  be  true  pulverised  lafiis,  it 
will  remain  a  powaer.  If  there  be  only  a  mixture  ot  eua- 
mel  with  the  pulverised  lafus  that  enamel,  in  meltini*,  will 
gather  up  iill  the  lafiis  powder,  and  when  cold,  you  will 
find  it  in  a  little  cake  at  the  bottom  of  the  crucible.  This 
deception  is  very  common  among  colour  makers. 

Remarks'  The  three  different  azures,  which,  by  means 
of  the  cements  abovementioned,  you  will  get  from  the  la- 
fiis, will  amount  altogether  to  fifteen  ounces  for  each 
pound  of  lafis,  that  is  to  say,  ten  ounces  of  superfine  ultf- 
marine,  winch  will  s>ell  for  twelve  or  thirteen  ducats  an 
ounce  ;  three  ounces  of  medium  which  will  sell  for  be- 
tween three  or  four  half  crowns,  and  two  ounces  of  the 
common  base  sort,  which  will  sell  for  one  half  crown. 
This  last  is  little  regarded,  and  is  called  ashy  ;  but  it 
■will  pay  you  for  the  expei.ce  of  the  cement,  therefore  you 
•will  easily  be  able  to  judge  of  tne  clear  profit  you  can 
make  out  of  it.  If  you  employ  that  sort  of  lafAs  which 
loses  all  its  colour  with  the  trial  of  the  fire  and  vinegar, 
you  will  neithi  r  get  so  fife  ultramarine  from  it,  nor  so 
much  in  quantity,  as  you  can  from  the  other.  And  if  as 
will  be  mentioned  hereafter,  you  attempt  to  refine,  it,  it 
•will  lose  a  great  deal  of  its  weight. 

CXXIX-  The  method  of  calcining  and  firefiaring  the  la- 
fiis lazuli,  in  order  to  grind  it  afterwards. 

1.  Take  that  sort  of  lapis  lazuli  which  is  streaked  with 
gold  veins,  and  which  has  undergone  the  above  mentioned 
trials,    Break  it  in  small  bits,  no  larger  than  a  filbert. 


I 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  97 

Wash  them  in  warm  water,  then  set  them  on  the  fire  in  a 
crucible  till  red  hot.  When  thus  reddened  take  them  out 
one  by  one,  and  extinguish  them  in  double  distilled  white 
wine  vm(  gar,  which  shall  have  been  previously  run 
through  a  hat  three  or  four  tinr.es  When  thus  extinguis- 
ed,  take  them  all  out  from  the  vinegar,  and  calcine  them 
a-new,  then  extinguish  them  as  before.  Repeat  this  ope- 
ration six  or  seven  times  that  they  may  more  easily  submit 
to  the  pestle  in  the  mortar,  and  not  stick  to  it. 

2.  As  fur  the  lapis,  which  looses  its  colour  by  the  fire, 
you  must  dispense  with  the  calcining  of  it, for  as  it  would 
lose  it  more,  and  more  you  would  at  last  lose  both  your 
trouble  and  your  money. 

3.  Therefore  put  either  that  which  is  calcined,  or  that 
"  which  is  not,  in  a  bronze  mortar  covered  over,  and  pound 

it  well.  Sift  it  through  the  silk  sive,  covered  also  with  its 
lid,  that  the  most  subtile  part  of  the  powder  should  not 
evaporate,  as  it  is  the  best. 

CXXX.  Directions  for  making  the  liquor  fit  to  grind  the- 
lapis  withy  in  order  to  make  the  ultramarine, 

1.  Take  three  half  pints  of  rain  water,  after  having  run 
through  a  hat  three  or  four  times.  Put  into  a  new  pipkin, 
and  dilute  as  much  raw  honey  in  it  as  will  render  the 
water,vellow  ;  boil  it  till  it  ceases  to  give  any  scum,which 
take  care  to  throw  away  as  fast  as  it  rises.  When  it  is 
quite  clear  and  fine,  take  it  off  the  fire,  bottle  it  for  the 
following  use. 

2  Have  fi»ie  dragon's  blood,  grind  It  on  a  porphyry  stone 
with  the  above  prepared  honey-water ;  put  this  when  well 
grindf^d,  into  another  bottle.  Over  it  pour  so  much  honey 
water,  till  it  acquires  a  purple  colour  Decant  it,  when 
settled,  from  the  ground,  and  keep  it  by  itself  Such  is  the 
sort  of  water  which  is  to  be  used  to  t^rind  iht*  laltislazuliW\\.\\^ 

3  Observation  Should  the  tapis  lazuli  from  which  you 
intend  to  draw  yourultramarin*^  shew  some  purple  colour 
of  a  remarkable  hue  and  beauty,  you  must  encourage  it  by 
means  of  the  above  mentioned  honey  water,  which 
manage  as  follows.  As  the  degree  of  purple  you  are  to 
aim  at,  ought  not  to  be  deep  but  rather  pale  and  drawing 
towards  the  flesh  more  than  the  red,  if  the  colour  which 
comes  from  the  lapis  should  be  t(  o  deep,  you  must  dimin- 
ish that  ot  the  honey-water,  and  if  that  of  the  stone  is  too 
pale,  then  render  that  of  the  liquor  deeper  By  these 
means  you  may  make  these  thrtt-  sorts  of  colours  of  what 
degree  you  hke,  by  giving  more  or  less  of  the  liquor,  and 
colouring  this  at  you  will  according  as  you  see  either  of 
these  proceedings  requisite  for  your  purpose- 


98  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES, &c. 

J^ote.  Chuse  dragon's  blood  in  tears,  such  as  the  gold- 
smiths use,  not  that  which  is  in  powder. 

CXXXI.  The  method  of  grinding  the  lapis  lazuli  on  fior- 
tihyry,  and  the  signs  which  attend  it. 

1.  WTien  the  lafiis  is  well  pounded  into  powder,  and  that 
powder  has  been  sifted  as  before  directed,  set  it  on  por- 
phyry stone,  and  grind  with  the  mullar,  bathing  it  as  you 
grind  it,  with  the  honey  water,  by  little  and  little  at  a 
tioie.  Keep  your  powder  on  the  stone,  in  as  small  a  com- 
pass as  you  can. 

To  grind  thus.one  pound  of  pulverised  la/iis  you  must  di- 
vide it  into  three  parcels,  grind  one  of  each,  and  no  more 
at  a  time,  and  it  must  take  two  hours  grinding  at  least,  to 
make  money  of  it.  Take  care  to  keep  your  stone  wet  with 
the  above  prepared  honey  water  all  about  your  paste,  that 
this  should  not  stick  to  the  stone  while  you  grind  it.  This 
■wetting  must  take  in  all  one  tumbler  full  of  the  liquor  for 
the  wliole  pound  of  lapis  powder.  When  you  have  grind- 
-ed  one  part  of  tliat  pound,  take  it  out,  and  grind-  the  se- 
cond on  the  same  spot  on  the  stone,  the  next,  and  so  on, 
as  long  as  you  have  any  to  grind  ;  be  sure  in  grinding  it, 
you  use  no  other  water  than  honey  water. 

2.  To  know  weather  or  not  it  be  sufficiently  grinded, 
take  a  little  on  the  tip  of  your  finger,  and  mash  it  be- 
tween your  fore  teeth,  if  you  do  not  feel  it  crack,  as  the 
dry  powder  does,  then  it  is  sufficiently  grinded.  Do  not 
grind  it  too  much,  lest  it  should  lose  its  colour,  which  hap- 
pens sometimes. 

3.  To  dry  the  la/iis  after  it  is  grinded,  put  it  on  a  clean 
stone,  and  set  it  to  dry  in  the  shade,  not  in  the  sun,  for  it 
would  spoil  it.  When  it  looks  as  if  it  were  dry,  touch  it 
with  the  finger,  and  if  it  rubs  into  powder  as  mould  or 
dirt  wonld  do,  you  may  leave  it  longer.  But  if  it  resist 
finger,  and  do  not  break  it  is  time  to  take  it  off. 

4  Then  connes  the  washing  of  that  ultramarine  azure, 
which  is  performed  as  follows.  Take  a  china  bowl,  with- 
out any  crack  or  rivetting  whatever,  and  of  the  most  per- 
fect polish  or  glaze  in  the  inside,  put  therein  you  dried 
lump  of  paste.  Over  it  pour  the  soft  lye  above  described, 
and  let  it  surpass  the  lump  in  the  bowl  by  four  fingers 
breadth.  Then  wash  it  well  between  your  hands,  and  di- 
lute all  entirely  into  that  lye  When  this  is  done,  let  it 
settle,  and  when  the  azure  is  entirely  precipitated  at  the 
bottom,  and  the  lye  swims  quite  clear  over  it,  decant  it 
out  i^ently,  a*/  incUnatio!i,and  set  the  azure  a  drying  in  the 
shade,  without  nnoving  it  from  the  bowl.  When  you  find 
it  pretty  dry,  take  it  ojit  carefully,  spread  it  on  the  por- 
phyry stone  to  finish  drying.  And  when  it  is  thoroughly 
dry,  in  that  manner,  give  it  the  cement  as  follows. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  99 

CXXXIT.     The  method  of  incorjiorating  the  ground  la- 
pis lazuli,  ivith  either  of  the  strong  or  soft  cements. 

1  F^r  one  pound  of  the  lapis  lazuli,  prepared  as  direc- 
tefi  n  the  preceding  article,  lake  one  of- he  strong  cements 
di-^cribed.  R^b  this  over  with  your  hands  as  you  take  it  out 
of  the  water,  in  which  preserve  it ;  then  cut  in  small  bits, 
ar.d  put  it  a  melting  over  warm  ashes,  in  a  glazed  new  pip- 
kin. Take  care  that,  in  melting,  it  should  not  fry.  When 
thi-i  happens,  put  a  little  lintseed  oil,  it  will  immediately 
cease  to  fry. 

2.  When  the  cement  is  well  dissolved,  take  that  same 
spatula  which  before  served  you  to  make  it  with,  rub  it. 
over  with  a  littl*-  of  the  same  oil,  and  stir  well  the  melted 
cement  with  it  Tlien  with  the  other  hand,  taking  a  pound 
of  prepared  lapis  lazuli,  let  it  run  slowly  into  your  cement, 
till  the  whole  pound  is  put  into  the  cement,  which  you  must 
not  cease  to  stir  and  mix  with  the  spatula,  as  long  as  you 
pour  in  the  lapis.  Continue  to  stir  after  that,  till  you  are 
well  convinced  that  the  lapis  and  the  cement  are  well  mix- 
ed and  amalgamated  together. 

3.  When  this  is  done,  take  the  pot,  and  pour  the  con- 
tents, quite  boiling,  into  a  vessel  full  of  cold  water,  and  with 
the  spatula  takeout  all  that  isaboutthesidesof  it.and  clean 
it  well.  Then  when  the  said  cement  shall  be  cold  enough 
to  admit  touching  it  with  your  hands,  rub  them  all  over 
with  purified  lintseed  oil,  ar.d  take  it  out  of  the  A^^ater.  If 
in  pulling  it,  you  see  it  is  W(  11  tinged  and  coloured,  it  is  a 
good  omen.  Work  it  well  then  between  your  hands,  and 
with  your  fingers,  for  near  two  hours,  pulling  it  the  same 
time  to  the  length  and  breadth,  to  see  whether  there  are 
not  some  bubbles  inclosing  little  parcels  of  powder  not  well 
divided  and  uicorporated,  and  that  you  may  spread  them 
in  the  cement  in  working.  The  more  the  paste  is  thus 
wrought,  the  better  it  will  be  afterwards,  as  it  will  require 
less  washing  to  get  the  azure  out  ot  it. 

4.  When  it  is  thus  wrought,  form  it  into  a  lump  like  a 
loaf  of  bread,  and  put  it  into  a  china  bowl,  with  fresh  cold 
water,  where  let  it  soak  for  te:^  or  fifteen  days  longer,  be- 
btcause  the  longer  it  soaks,  the  finer  and  more  perfect  it 
becomes,  and  the  i.  ore  easv  to  get  the  azure  out.  But  it  it 
be  not  soaked  at  least  twelve  days,  it  will  not  do  at  all. 

CXXXIII.    Directions  for  extracting  the  azure  out  of 
the  cement' 

1.  Take  the  lump  of  cem.  nt  just  mentioned  out  of  the 
cold  water  "in  which  you  left  it  to  soak.  Rib  it  softlv  over 
with  yf'iir  hands,  and  pj'.ce  it  in  a  fi.tly  glazfd  china 
bowl,  previously  wet  with  the  atoresaid  lintseed  oil. 


loo         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c 

2.  Pmir  over  it  lukewarm  common  water,  filtered 
thro'ii^h  a/hat  before  warming.  Ob  ,erve  that  this  water, 
when  poured  on  the  cement,  be  rather  cool  than  warm,  and 
and  let  there  be  about  two  fingers  breadth  m  the  bowl  above 
the  ceiient.     Then  let  it  soak  about  one  quarter  of  an  hour. 

3.  Have  two  sticks  made  of  box,  or  other  fine  hard  wood, 
susceptible  of  a  fine  polish.  These  sticks  must  be  made 
round  by  a  turner,  of  a  foot  long  or  thereabouts,  a  little 
thicker  than  one's  thumb,  being  larger  at  one  of  the  ends, 
and  flattened  in  form  of  an  almond. 

4.  With  these  sticks,  move  and  turn  gently  at  first,  your 
cement  in  lukewarm  water.  And  if  in  so  doing  it  should 
stick  to  the  bottom  of  the  bowl,  rub  your  hands  with  oil, 
and  detach  it  carefully,  turning  and  returning  it  gently  with 
your  hands  in  the  water,  till  at  last  it  begins  to  be  tinged 
■with  azure — The  first  signs  by  which  you  know  that  the 
cement  begins  to  render  the  ultramarine,  are  certain  lines 
and  streaks  which  appear  in  the  water,  not  unlike  the  rays 
of  the  sun.  And  when  this  is  the  case,  take  notice,  that 
the  water  soon  assumes  a  high  hue  of  that  colour,  particu- 
larly at  the  the  first  discharge  of  the  cement,  as  it  is  always 
the  best  azure  which  comes  first. 

5.  As  soon  therefore  as  ycu  see  your  water  sufficiently 
tinged,  pour  it  through  a  sieve  into  the  vessel  with  three 
cocks,  described  before,  supporting  the  cement  on  •  two 
sticks,  for  fear  it  should  stick  to  the  bottom  of  the  bowl, 
when  thus  left  dry  on  it.  The  reason  you  are  advised  to 
run  this  water  through  a  sieve,  is  to  prevent  any  bits  of  ce- 
ment which  have  broken  from  the  lump,and  be  loose  in  the 
water,  from  running  with  it,  so  that  you  might  stop  and  re- 
join it  to  the  other. 

6.  When  you  have  got  this  first  water  out  of  the  cement, 
pour  some  more  water,  of  the  same  degree  of  warmth,  ra- 
ther under  lukewarm  than  above,  and  proceed  as  before 
with  sticks,movingaHd  turning  the  cement,  and  so  working 
it  as  to  get  new  azure  from  it,  which  decant  into  a  vessel 
separately  from  the  first  water. 

7  Repeat  again  the  same  process,  to  draw  the  third  a- 
zure,  and  decant  again  this  into  a  vessel  by  itself. 

Observe  not  to  hurry,  particularly  at  first,  the  softening 
of  the  cement  in  the  water,  by  working  too  hastily,  if  you 
force  the  azure  too  precipitately  out  of  the  cement,  you 
will  manifestly  spoil  all. 

CXXXlV.  Observations  on  the  colours  of  the  azures, 
at  their  coming  out  of  the  cement,  and  the  signs  which 
attend  the?n, 

1.  The  most  manifest  sign  of  the  first  azure  coming  out, 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         101 

is  its  apparant  coarseness  ;  a  character  \vhtch  is  owing  t© 
the  veins  of  gold  which  appeared  in  the  prigir  al  stone* 
and  which  give  the  first  ultramarine  that  sort  of  look. 

2.  The  second  azure  will  seem  much  finer,  but  its 
colour  will  not  be  so  high  nor  so  fine. 

3.  The  third  will  increase  again  in  appearance  of  fine- 
ness, but  diminish  still  more  in  hue,  which  ^ill  be  of  a  much 
paler  blue  than  any  of  the  two  others.  These  observations 
are  always  on  the  supposition  that  the  original  stone  was 
a  good  one,  and  had  gone  fairly  through  all  the  trials. 

CXXXV.    The  washing  and  fiurifying  of  the  azures  after 
they  are  got  out  of  the  cement. 

When  the  different  azures  are  all  got  out  of  the  cement, 
let  them  settle  and  fall  down,  each  at  the  bottom  of  their 
vessels.  When  their  waters  appear  quite  clear  and  free 
from  them  on  the  top,  pour  them  out  gently  and  carefully 
by  incUnation  ;  then  supply  them  with  soft  lye,  and  wash 
those  azures  in  it  with  your  hands,  and  each  of  them  dis- 
tinctly in  separate  vessels  by  themselves.  Then  let  them 
settle  to  the  bottom,  and  decant  out  that  lye,  and  repeat 
again  and  again  the  same  process,  till  you  are  sure  they  are 
all  well  purged  from  the  grease  of  the  cement  in  which 
they  were.  Rinse  them  afterwards  in  three  or  four  differ- 
ent clear  waters,  filtered  through  a  hat,  and  they  will  be 
perfectly  purified  and  clean. 

CXXXVI.    Another  way  of/iimfying  the  same  azures 
with  yolks  of  eggs<. 

1.  Take  half  a  dozen  of  yolks  of  eggs,  from  hens  fed 
upon  corn,  and  not  suffered  to  run  among  the  grass-  Pierce 
the  pellicula  which  covers  those  yolks  with  the  point  of  a 
needle,  and  pour  equally  those  yolks  on  the  azure  powder, 
as  you  would  do  oil  on  a  sailad. 

2.  Do  the  same  on  all  your  different  azures,  put  sepa- 
rately in  different  dishes.  Then  incorporate  well  the  azure 
and  the  yolks  of  eggs  together  with  your  hands.  Wiien 
done,  wash  it  afterwards  with  the  softest  lye,  so  many 
times  that  it  shall  at  last  come  out  as  clear  as  you  first  put 
it  in  ;  then  rinse  it  three  or  four  times  in  clear  water, 
which  has  been  filtered  several  times  through  a  hat. 

This  method  of  washing  the  azures  is  an  exc  llent  one. 
It  may  be  deemed  a  true  secret  to  give  them  a  fine  luscre 
and  brilliancy.  Nrver  forget  to  let  each  of  your  waters 
be  well  settled  before  you  change  them,  otherwise  you 
will  lose  a  great  deal  of  the  azures, 
K 


102         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c. 

CXXXVII.    Another  secret  for  purifying  azures 

To  give  the  most  admirable  lustre  to  azures.  Take  a 
bullock's  gall,  and  pour  it  on  your  separate  azures,  after 
they  have  been  washed  and  purifyed  in  waters,  lyes,  and 
yolks  of  eggs.  Then  'ub  and  handle  well  those  azures  with 
your  hands,  each  by  themselves,  and  one  after  another  dis- 
tinctly, for  fear  of  mixing  some  of  the  one  with  any  of  the 
others.    Then  wash  them  as  above  directed. 

CXXXVIIT.    Honv  to  run  the  azures,  after  having  been 
thus  cleansedi  washed  and  puri/ied. 

1.  The  ultramarine  azure,  as  well  as  all  the  others, 
ought  to  be  run,  for  fear  there  should  remain  some  grease, 
dirt,  or  bit  of  cement  among  them.  Therefore,  when  they 
come  to  the  last  water,  run  them  through  a  fine  sieve,  then 
through  another  more  open,  and  through  another  again 
more  so  still  Each  time  let  the  water  settle,  till  you  have 
them  quite  clear,  or  take  them  out  by  means  of  a  sponge, 
as  before  directed,  but  do  it  with  such  care  as  not  to  have 
your  azure  get  into  the  sponge  with  the  water,  which 
■would  be  very  detrimental  to  your  interest 

2  When  you  have  well  cleared  a'l  the  waters  away,  let 
those  azures  all  dry  in  their  own  dishes  or  bowls,  and  in 
the  shade,  not  in  the  sun,  and  guard  well  against  dust  and 
dirt  in  working  them. 

3.  When  the  azures  are  perfectly  dry,  gather  them  each 
separately,  and  put  them  in  small  white  bags. made  of  ani- 
inals  skins,  with  the  smoothest  side  inwards.  When  the 
little  bag  is  tied,  rub  it  all  manner  of  ways,  to  refine  the 
azure  in  it ;  and  the  more  you  shall  have  done  so,  the  finer 
colour  the  azure  will  acquire  when  you  open  it,  and  it 
comes  to  the  air  again. 

CXXXIX.     The  method  of  making  the  green  azure. 

1.  With  the  Armenian  stone,  if  we  are  to  believe  Alex- 
ander Tiollvan,  who  says,  that  it  is  enough  to  reduce  that 
stone  into  powder  on  the  marble  or  prophyry,  then  wash 
it  several  times  in  clean  water,  and  dry  it  afierwards. — 
liut  It  must  certainly  be  tar  preferable  to  separate  the 
colour  from  the  constituent,  matter  oftht  stone,  and  all 
its  earthly  particle  s>  which  must  undoubtedly  render  it 
much  finer  and  fitt*a'  for  punting,  as  it  is  m.ore  purified  of 
its  hetevogenou.s  parts.  Therefore,  the  following  process 
is  n;ost  advibeable. 

2  Rr'duce  he  ^jtoiie  into  a  subtile  prwd(  r,  then  put  it 
into  brandy  or  distilled  vinegar.    Put  this  to  digest  on  the 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  dec         103 

hot  ashes,  bath,  or  balneo  maru,  till  the  liquor  is  perfectly 
chained  with  the  colour  of  the  stone.  Decant  it  then 
gently  into  another  vessel,  and  pour  some  more  brandy 
or  vinegar  on  its  ground,  if  you  have  reason  to  think  that 
there  remains  some  cftlour  still  in  the  stone,throw  away  all 
the  ground,  as  perfectly  useless,  and  then  evaporate,  on 
warm  ashes,  the  vinegar  or  brandy  impregnated  with  the 
colour  ;  or  rather  distill  it,  as  bv  that  mesns  you  will  get 
your  liquor  pure  again,  and  may  use  it  another  time  for 
the  same  purpose,  instead  of  washing  it  away. 

3.  By  this  process, which  seems  most  rational, you  will  get 
the  green  colour  quite  pure  at  the  bottom  of  the  vessel- 
Wash  and  clean  it  pure  with  water,  and  after  dying,  keep 
it  for  use.  This  is  a  very  fine  colour  in  painting,  and  has 
this  advantage,  that  it  never  looses  its  brightness. 

CXL.    A  very  fine  method  for  marbling  ^lajier. 

The  paper  must  first  be  prepared,  by  wetting  the  paper 
with  a  sponge  dipped  in  roch-alum  water,  then  letting  it 
dry. — When  the  sheets  have  been  thus  pre):>ared,  have  a 
pan  full  of  water,  and  with  a  large  and  long  handled  paint- 
ing-brush, take  of  one  colour,  and  shake  it  in  the  water  ; 
take  of  another  and  do  the  same,  and  so  on  till  you  have 
taken  of  all  the  colours  you  intend  to  have  on  your  paper. 
Each  of  these  colours  fall  to  the  bottom  of  the  water ;  but 
take  with  a  simdar  brush  as  the  first,  a  mixture  of  bullock's 
gall,  and  of  dissolution  of  soap  in  water,  then  shake  on  the 
water,  and  all  over  the  surface,  and  you  will  soon  see  all 
the  colours  rising  up  again  and  swimming  on  the  top  of  the 
water  each  separately  as  you  first  put  them.  Then  lay 
the  sheet  of  paper  on  it,  give  it  a  turn  on  one  side  or  the 
other,  as  you  like,  and  take  it  up  again  ;  wash  and  set  it 
to  dry,  then  burnish  it,  and  it  is  done. 

CXLI.  Another  Method. 

There  are  several  kinds  of  marble  paper,  which  vary 
only  in  the  form  or  figure  of  colouring  ;  some  are  dotted, 
others  drawe  in  irregular  lines  ;  but  the  method  of  ti-iging 
them,  simply  consists  in  dipping  the  paper  in  a  thick  so« 
lution  of  gum  tragacanth.  over  which  the  c  lours  are 
uniformly  spread,  after  having  been  ground  with  ox-gall 
and  spirit  of  wine. 

Pr  )cess-  Fu  St  immerse  the  paper  in  clean  water  ;  the 
sheets  being  regularly  folded  ov«  r  each  other,  and  covered 
with  a  weight.  It  is  now  to  be  caretully  laid  on  the  co- 
louring solution,  and  pressed  softly  down  with  the  hand 
that  It  may  bear  equally  on  the  whole,  nextHhe  paper 
roust  be  suspended,  in  order  to  dry  ;  and  as  soon  as  the 
msisture  is  evaporated,  the  paper  is  pohshed  by  rubbing 


104         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

it  with  a  little  soap,  and  smoothing  it  with  glass  highly 
burnishedv  or  with  a  poli-hed  agate. 

The  colours  usually  emploved  are,for  red  carminclake, 
or  Vermillion  ;  for,  yelio.v,  Dutch-pink  and  yellow  ochre ; 
for  blue,  Prussian  blue  and  verditure ;  for  green,  verdi- 
grease,  a  mixture  of  Dutch-pink,  and  Prussian  blue,  in 
various  proportions  ;  for  orange,  the  orange  lake,  or  a 
composition  of  vermilion  or  red-lead  with  Dutch-pink  ; 
and  for  purple,  rose  pink  and  Prussian  blue.  These  co- 
lours are  first  to  be  finely  triturated  wiih  spirit  of  wine, 
when  a  small  proportion  of  gall  is  to  be  added,  and  the 
grinding  o^"  the  whole  to  be  repeated-  The  proper  quan- 
tity of  gall  can  be  ascertained  by  comparative  trials,  be- 
cause there  must  be  only  such  a  proportion  of  it  used,  as 
will  suffer  the  spots  of  the  various  tinging  matter  to  unite, 
when  sprinkled  on  the  solution  of  tragacanth,  without 
intermixing  or  running  into  each  other.  The  whole  being 
thus  prepared,  the  solution  is  to  be  poured  into  different 
vessels,  according  to  the  colours  e'nploved,  whieh  are  to 
])e  sprinkled  on  the  surface, and  the  process  of  marbling  is 
completed  by  laying  the  paper  on  the  mixture,  in  the 
manner  above  directed. 

CXLII.  Hoiv  tofirefiare  a  transfiarent  flakier  to  chalk  ivith. 

In  order  to  render  themselves  sooner  and  more  easily 
masters  oi  chalking  neatly,  and  not  to  go  out  of  the  fine 
turns  and  out  lines  of  a  drawing  b'  ginners  should  first 
know  how  to  prepare  a  transparent  p  iper  which  as  it  lets 
them  see  the  minutest  parts  of  the  strokes  as  through  a 
glass,  gives  them  of  course  an  opportunity  of  acquiring  by 
practice?  a  correctness,  precision,  and  truth,  m  tlie  ex- 
pression of  all  the  turns  of  a  piece  of  drawing,  be  it  what- 
ever it  may.     This  preparation  is  as  follows. 

1  Have  one  or  several  sheets  of  fine  and  very  thin  paper, 
and  rub  them  over  with  oil,  or  spiritofturpeuiine  mixed  in 
double  the  quantity  of  oil  of  nuts.  To  cause  the  paper  to 
imbibe  that  mixture,  steep  a  sponge  or  feather  in  it,  which 
pa-s  on  both  side-s  of  the  paper,  and  then  let  it  dry. 

2  When  you  want  to  use  it  lay  ii  on  a  print.  Then  with 
a  brush,  a  pencil,  or  a  pen,  pass  over  all  the  stmke  lines 
and  turns  of  the  design  laid  imder.  You  may  even  thus 
learn  to  shade  with  neatiicss,  if  your  colour  that  same 
design  while  fixed  on   the  original  print,  with  India  ink. 

Thus  practising  often,  aid  for  a  certain  while,  you  may 
learn  to  draw  very  neatly, and  even  with  boldness,  provided 
you  apply  with  attention  This  method  will  certainly 
prove  agreeable,  ustful,  and  entertaining,  for  those  who 
have  not  the  patience  to  learn  by  the  common  method, 
which  seems  too  tedious  to  som.e,  and  generally  disgust 
beginners. 


[  105  ] 

CHAP.  VII. 
SECRETS  RELATIVE  TO  THE  ART  OF  GILDIN€, 

I.     The  method  of  gilding  with  sizCy  or  oil, 

THE  gold  leaves  which  are  commonly  used  in  gilding 
are  of  different  sizets,  as  well  as  of  various  degrees  of 
thickness. 

To  gild  on  iron  and  other  metals,  the  strongest  and  the 
purest  are  preferable.  That  which  is  not  so  pure  is  com- 
monly employed  by  carvers  in  wood,  as  it  comes  cheaper 
to  thern. 

We  are  indebted  to  this  discovery  of  the  secret  in  paint- 
ing in  oil,  for  the  means  of  gilding  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
resist  the  injuries  ot  the  weather. — An  art  the  ancients 
were  not  acquainted,  with  and  they  could  not  obtain  from 
their  method  of  applying  gold, since  they  used  nothing  else 
but  whites  of  eggs  for  gilding  marb.!e,and  such  other  bodies 
as  do  not  admit  of  being  committed  to  the  fire  As  for  the 
wood,  they  made  a  composition  which  was  used  with  size. 
But  neither  size  nor  whites  of  eggs  can  resist  the  water. 
Thert-fore  they  could  not,  with  propriety,  gild  any  othes 
works  than  such  as  were  sheltered  from  the  intemperance 
of  the  weather,  viz  their  arche.s,  their  ceilings,  which 
were  all  gilt  in  that  manner.  The  composition  they  used 
for  gilding  on  wood  was  made  of  a  shmy  earth,  which  held 
the  place  of  the  sized  white  we  use  now-a-days,  and  with 
which  guilders  made  that  first  coat,  called  by  artists 
ussiettCt  or  burni&h-gold  size. 

II.    7b  gild  with  size^  or  what  is  called  in  burnish  gold. 

1.  Begin  by  preparing  your  size  as  follows.  Take  about 
a  pnund  of  cdd  bits  of  pa^-chment,  or  leather,  such  as  is 
prepared  for  gloves  or  breeches.  Put  this  a  boiling  in  a 
pailful  of  water.till  it  is  reduced  to  one  half,and  your  size  is 
done  as  it  ought  to  be. 

2.  When  you  want  to  use  it  for  wood  which  is  to  be 
gilt,it  must  beboilhig  hot,otherwise  it  would  not  penetrate 
sufficiently  into  the  wood.  If  you  find  it  too  strong,  you 
may  weaken  it  by  adding  water  to  it.  Then  with  a  brush 
lay  the  size  in  smooth,  if  it  be  a  plain  work  ;  but  if  a  carv- 
ed one,  you  must  lay  it  in  stumping  with  the  brush  ;  el-* 
ther  of  which  ways  is  equally  termed  to  size, 

li2 


106         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  5cc. 

3-  When  the  wood  is  thus  prepared  vith  size  only:, 
make  another  preparation,  c?i\\td  an  in  fusion  uj  ivfiite, 
in  the  following  manner  :  Take  a  quantity  of  size  boil- 
ing hot.  as  much  as  you  think  will  be  sufficient  for  your 
work*  Dilute  a  discretionable  quantity  of  pulverised 
whitening  in  it,  and  let  it  infuse  some  time.  When  it  seems 
well  dissolved,  strain  it  through  a  cloth  to  make  it  finer  ; 
than  with  a  brush,  as  above,  give  seven  or  eight  different 
coats  of  it  in  stumping  on  your  work,  and  two  more  coats 
in  smoothening,  if  it  be  on  a  carved  work ;  but  if  on  a 
plain  one,  you  must  give  a  dozen  of  coats  at  least ;  for  the 
white  is  the  nourishment  ot  gold,  and  serves  to  preserve  it 
a  great  while.  Be  careful  not  to  give  coat  upon  coat  un- 
less the  last  be  very  dry  ;  otherwise  the  work  might  acale. 
Yuu  must  even  have  a  great  care  that  each  coat  should 
be  laid  on  as  perfectly  equal  as  possisble,  both  in  the 
strength  ot  tlie  size,  and  thickness  of  the  white,  to  avoid 
the  same  inconyeniency. 

4  When  you  have  given  the  requisite  number  of  coats, 
v/heth^rin  stumping,  or  in  smoothening,  you  must  let  the 
wnrii  dry  thoroughly  before  you  polish  it.  As  soon  there- 
fore as  It  is  perecily  dry,  you  must  have  a  coarse  rough 
cloth,  q'lite  new.  and  as  closely  wove  as  possible,  with  lit- 
tle deal  sticks,  cut  square,  angular,  or  pecked,  according 
as  the  nature  and  carving  of  the  work  t  equire ;  and 
thrusting  one  of  thes  -.licks  into  the  cloth,  rub  and  smooth- 
en  the  white.  Then  taking  a  brush  made  of  boar's  bris- 
tles, which  has  been  already  used,  because  it  is  softer,  dip 
it  into  some  clean  water  and  wtt  the  work  in  proportion 
as  vou  go  on  in  polishing  with  your  little  stick  wrapped 
up  in  cloth.  This  precaution  completes  the  smoothening  of 
the  work  by  levelling  the  small  bumps  and  impreceptible 
undulations  you  tnay  h  ve  made  either  in  giving  the  white, 
or  in  polishing  it.  For  the  smoother  the  work,  the  more 
easy  to  burnish  the  gold,  after  having  been  applied.  Wet 
and  brush  it  in  proportion  as  you  polish  it,  with  a  brush 
a  little  worn,  spare  not  to  purge  your  brush  of  all  the  filth 
it  gathers  abo\it  the  point  of  its  hair,  by  washing  and 
squeezing  it  again  as  soon  as  you  see  them  grow  thick  in 
the  least  with  that  dirt. 

5.  When  the  white  is  once  more  dried,  rub  it  with  sha- 
vegrass,  or  rushes,  in  order  to  level  still  better  all  the 
grains  and  inequaliiies  which  may  be  on  it.  Do  not,  how- 
ever, rub  it  too  much  v  ith  the  shavegrass,  because  you 
rnay  thereby  fall  from  one  error  into  another,  and  make 
your  whne  what  is  called  greasy  or  smeary,  which  would 
prevent  it  afterwards  from  uiLiting  vvith  the  burnish  gold 
size,  which  is  to  precede  the  laying  on  of  th.-  gold- 
6C  Now  as  it  is  difficult  that  alter  tenor  a  dozen  of  eoafs 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         lor 

of  white,  the  carving  should  not  be  choaked  up  they  who 
are  fond  of  finishing  their  work  highly,  take  an  ir()n  in- 
strument, made  on  purpose,  cutved  by  one  end.  (called  by 
the  Frexich  a  Jer-a-rtiirtr,)  with  this  rf:ffling  crook  they 
go  over  all  the  turns,  and  open  all  the  phicts  which  want, 
it,  to  restore  them  totheir  former  sharj.ness.  Or  else,  take 
what  is  called  ajermoi}',  or  gouge,  and  give  to  the  orna- 
ments the  same  torm  which  the  carver  observed  wlien  he 
first  cut  thtnt,  turning  agreeably  the  sides  of  leaves  accor- 
ding to  nature;  tlen  brtttUin^  with  anoiher  iistrnnient, 
called  the  vei?nng  crook  {\u  FrenchJo7?noi?  d  ntzronci)^ 
all  the  ornaments,  you  thereb\  render  neater,  riud  more 
delicate  than  the  carver  had  first  made  it.  1  hat  jou  tisay 
cut  vhe  white  more  neat,  observe  only  towtt  it  a  httle  with 
a  brush. 

7  When  works  are  not  of  great  consequence,  you  may 
easily  save  yourself  all  that  trouble  ;  prii.cipally  if  the 
carvii  g  is  pretty  neatly  finished,  by  giving  two  or  three 
coats  only  ot  white  very  cltar.  Hut  the  white  is  tht  prin- 
cipal support  of  gold,  this  i  peraiion  is  never  so  perfect  as 
when  It  has  rec  ived  tenor  twelve  coats  of  \\hite.  and 
been  atterwaids  re-cut, carved,  veined,  and  repaired  over 
again,  as  1  saivl  before. 

8.  Then  dilute  so  ne  yellow  ochre,  and  grind  it  with 
sized  water,  weaktrbv  halt  than  that  which  \ou  used  for 
the  whitening.  And  having  made  it  alittk  fluid  and  warm, 
lay  one  coat  of  it  over  all  the  work,  jirii  cipallv  in  such 
deep  places  of  the  carving  as  you  cannot  come  at  to  lay 
the  gi.ld  leaf,  that  this  col.iur  may  supply  its  want. 

9.  Wliei)  the  yellow  is  dry,  lay  over  it  (in  all  the  raised 
places,  but  not  in  the  bottom  grounds)  three  dilJt  rent  coats 
ot  another  sort  of  coM.position,  called  in  French  asaicttey 
and  \\QVty  burnished  gold  fdze,  prepared  in  the  following 
manner  :  Bol  armenian,  about  the  bigness  ot  a  nut,  and 
grii;d  it  by  itself;  blood  stone,  or  red  chalk,  the  bulk  of  a 
hoise  bean,  and  black  lead  pulverised  a^  big  as  a  pea, 
grinded  both  together  ;  and  at  last  one  drop  or  two  of 
tallow,  which  grind  afterwarcs  with  all  the  other  drugs 
and  water,  taking  them  a  little  at  a  time  to  grind  and  in- 
corporate them  the  better.  Put  this  composition  in  a  cup, 
and  pour  over  it  some  of  vour  nforenientioned  size,  boil  ng 
hot,  and  strained  through  a  cloth-  Stir  and  mix  all  well 
while  yon  pour  that  size,  that  the  wh^  le  may  be  well  di- 
luted. The  brush  you  lav  it  on  with  ou,<ht  to  be  sott,  ai^d 
the  first  coat  lay  y>reity  thin  ;  but  as  for  the  two  othe  rs, 
they  mu■^t  be  so  thick  that  the  stuft  should  run  with  ('jffi- 
culty  trort)  the  brush.  Each  coat  n»ust  be  well  dried  be- 
fore givin,^  the  next.  Arid  when  the  last  is  perftctl>  dry, 
take  a  stiffer  brush,  and  dry  rub  the  work  all  «.ver  to 
smoothen  all  the  grains  and  little  risings  of  the  gold  size, 
and  thereby  facilitate  the  burnishing. 


iOS         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

10'  The  gilding  is  performed  as  follows.  Have  first  a 
pipkin  very  clean,  in  which  put  some  very  clean  and  filt- 
ered water,  and  a  few  wetting  pencils,  which  ought  to  be 
made  in  the  form  of  those  ermine  tales  which  hang  in  the 
ermine  skins. — Get  next  a  cushion,  which  is  to  be  made 
■with  a  light  and  flat  square  board  covered  with  calf  lea- 
ther, fixed  all  around  with  nails,  and  stuffed  underneath 
with  cotton.  Let  this  cushion  be  also  surrounded  by  the 
back  part,  and  two  thirds  of  each  of  the  two  sides,  with  a 
band  of  parchment  of  five  or  six  inches  high,  to  prevent 
the  air  from  blowing  off  the  gold  leaf. 

11  Put  what  quantity  of  gold  leaves  you  think  proper. 
With  the  gilding  knife  spread  these  leaves  very  smooth, 
in  doing  of  which  you  will  assist  yourself  very  much  if  you 
breathe  over  them  while  you  pass  tue  knife  under-  Then 
cut  it  in  as  many  parts  and  sizes  as  you  want,  or,  if  there 
be  occasion  for  it  whole,  take  it  with  your  tip,  and  lay  it. 
A  tip  (in  Fvench, /laictte)  is  an  instrument  made  with  the 
point  of  a  squirrel's  tail  placed  upon  a  round  stick  flatten- 
ed,and  about  half  an  inch  svide  by  one  end,wiih  a  slit,  to  se- 
parate and  spread  the  better  the  sqirrel's  tail.  This  tip 
pass  a  long  your  cheek,  and  with  it  take  of  the  gold  leaf, 
or  what  part  of  it  you  have  divided,  and  thus  lay  it  on  the 
work  Previously,  however,  to  this,  you  must  have  pas- 
sed on  the  place  one  of  your  pencils  immediately  before 
the  laying  of  the  gold,  otherwise  the  gold  would  be  inces- 
santly slitting  and  cracking-  As  soon  as  the  gold  leaf  is 
laid  on  the  work  take  \our  water  pencil  quite  wet,  and 
passing  it  above  the  work,  let  the  water  run  from  it  under 
the  leaf  just  apphed  ;  this  will  quickly  make  it  spread 
and  catch.  But  if  it  should  pass  over  the  gold  leaf,  it 
would  immediately  spot  rind  spoil  it  ;  and  as  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  lay  on  gold,  especially  when  wet,  you  would  not  be 
able  to  repair  it  unless  you  take  the  gold  leaf  entirely  off, 
and  put  another  in  the  stead.  On  the  contrary,  by  the  wa- 
ter slipping  under  the  gold  leaf  just  laid,  you  will  find  that 
this  spreads  infinitely  more  easy,  and  almost  of  itstlt  ;  it 
sticks  faster  on  the  gold  size,  never  scratches,  is  more  ea- 
sily dusted  for  burnishing,  or  matting  with  size  ;  in  short, 
the  work  looks  infinitely  better  in  every  respect.  As  it 
is  impossible  with  all  possible  care  but  there  may  happen 
some  little  accident  now  and  then,  principally  in  carved 
works,  you  must  in  such  case,  cut  some  small  bits  of  gold, 
which,  with  a  pencil,  take  and  put  on  the  defective  places, 
when  you  look  your  work  over. 

12-  When  the  work  is  perfectly  dry,  burnish  it  where 
you  th\'^k  proper,  in  order  to  detach  certain  parts 
from  the  other,  to  make  them  set  off  and  shew  to  better 
advantage.  To  that  effect  use  an  instrument  called  a 
burnisher,  made  either  of  a  real  wqU's  tooth,  or  rather 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  109 

as  they  now  use  it,  an  ae;atte,  made  in  the  sanne  form, 
and  finely  polished,  or  el&e  a  pebble  called  blood  stone- 
Before  burnishing  you  must,  with  the  crookejd  point 
of  your  burnisher,  push  down  all  the  parts  of  gold  in  the 
hollow  parts  which  you  forr:ot  to  do  with  the  pencil,  then 
dust  it  with  a  large  one.  When  the  work  is  burnished 
where  you  w^nt  it  to  be  so,matt:  and  repass, with  a  very  soft 
pencil  and  burnish  gold  size,  what  has  not  been  bwvnis)  ed, 
or,  you  may  again  put  some  vermilion,  to  raise  the  gold, 
and  make  it  look  brighter ;  which  is  called,  in  term  of 
art,  repassing. 

13.  There  is  again  another  repassing  you  must  not  for- 
get, which  is  to  lay,  in  all  the  hollow  places  of  a  carved 
work,  a  coat  of  a  composition  of  a  vermillion,  as  i  ani  go- 
ing to  prescribe,  and  which  will  give  an  incomparable  fire 
to  the  gold,  and  make  it  look  as  goldsmith's  work  '1  his 
composition  is  such — Grind  together,  on  marble,  some 
vermilion,  gamboge,  and  red  brown,  v-hich  mix  with  a 
little  Venetian  turpentine,  and  oil  of  turpentine.  If  after 
having  burnished,  matted,  and  repassed  your  work,  you 
find  again  some  defective  places,  you  may  mend  them  with 
gold  in  shell,  which  is  diluted  with  a  litrle  arabic,  and  ap- 
plied with  a  pencil.  This  sort  of  faulting  is  no  small  ad- 
dition to  the  beauty  and  richness  of  the  work;  the  French 
call  it  buckling  with  gold  vi  shell. 

\\\,  2  0  gild  without  gold. 

Put  in  a  crucible  one  ounce  of  ammoniac  salt,  and  half 
that  quantity  of  common  mercury.  Cover  and  lute  well 
the  crucible  for  fear  the  mercury,  shoi.ld  exhale.  Give 
this  a  small  fire  for  the  space  of  half  an  Iviur-  Increase 
th  fire  afterwards  till  the  crucible  i.>  quite  red  hot.  Then 
throw  the  compositien  into  a  pan  of  cold  water.  A>  scon 
as  this  matter  is  cold,  it  will  be  us  hard  as  a  stone.  Break 
and  grind  it,  and  dissolve  it  in  gum  water.  Wherever 
you  lay  a  coat  of  this,  it  will  look  like  gilt. 

IV.  Another  to  the  same  fiurfiose 

To  gild  frames,  and  other  common  things,  pulverise  and 
incorporate  well  together  thr  yolk  of  an  egg  with  two  oun- 
ces of  mercury,  and  one  of  ammoniac  salt  Put  this  into 
a  matrass,  stop  it  well,  and  set  it,  for  four  and  twenty 
days,  in  hot  horse  dung. 

V.  A  gilt  without  gold- 

Grind  some  purpurine  with  water  ;  then  put  it  to  soak, 
with  chamber  lye  in  a  pan  ;  stir  and  sk^m  it  When  it 
has  done  throwing  anv  scum,  decant  the  chamber  lye.and 
supply  it  by  gum  water.    Whatever  you  write  or  draw 


110  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

with  this  composition,  will  look  as  gold  itself  ;  and  it  acj- 
mils  even  of  being  burnished  with  the  burnisher. 

VL    The  firefiaration  of  the  gum  water. 

In  half  a  pint  of  connmon  water,  put  two  ounces  of  guna 
arabic,  bruised  in  small  bits.  When  dissolved,  it  makes 
the  right  degree  of  gum  water  to  be  used  for  the  above 
purpose. 

VII.  To  write  i?i  gold  or  silver. 

Draw  the  juice  of  juniper  leaves.  In  this  juice  throw 
some  gold  or  silver  filings,  which  set  there  to  infuse  for 
three  days  ;  then  make  the  trial- 

VIII.   To  gild  on  glasses,  earthen,  or  china  wares 

Take  a  glass,  or  china  cup,  wet  it,  and  lay  your  gold 
where  and  how  you  like,  then  let  it  dry.  Dissolve  some 
borax  in  water,  and  of  this  liquor  lay  a  coat  on  your  gold, 
Set  it  in  the  fire  till  your  glass  powder  in  melting  makes 
a  varnish  on  the  gilded  parts, which  will  then  appear  very 
beautiful 

IX.  To  writcj  or/iaintjn  gold  colour. 

Pulverize  some  purpurine  into  subtle  powder  ;  then 
water  it  over  gently,  and  by  little  at  a  time,  with  chamber. 
lye,  turning  incessantly,  while  you  pour,  with  a  stick. 
Let  it  settle,  and  wash  it  in  common  water  so  many  times 
till  you  see  the  water  comes  out  at  last  quite  clear.  Each 
time  you  change  the  water,  take  particular  care  to 
allo'v  a  sufficient  time  for  the  settling-  Then  mix,  after 
the  last  water  is  poured  away,  some  powder  of  saffron  and 
gu  n  water  with  your  ground,  and  either  write  or  paint, 
which  you  like.  T'lis  secret  is  bv  no  means  an  iu'^liffer- 
ent  one  ;  and  you  will  find  it  very  agreeable  if  you  try. 

X.  To  write  or  fiaint  in  silver,  esfitcially  with  a  fiencil. 

Pound  well,  in  a  bell-metal  mortar,  some  tin  glass; 
then  grind,  and  dilute,  it  on  porphyry,  with  common  wa- 
ter Let  it  settle,  and  thrtw  off  the  water,  which  will  be 
black  and  dirty.  Reiterate  this  lotion  so  manv  times,  till 
the  water  remains  clear-  Then  dilute  it  in  gum  water.and 
either  write  or  pamt  with  it.  It  vvill  appear  verv  hand- 
some, and  no  ways  inf.  rior  tc  the  finest  virgin  silver. 

XI.  To  whiten  and  silver  cofipermedals. 

1.  Take  filings  from  Cornwall  pewter.and  make  a  bed  of 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES  6cc.         Ill 

them  at  the  bottom  of  a  p'pk  n.  On  th  »  bed  lay  or>e  of 
your  medals,  taking  care,  however,  they  should  not  touch 
each  otht-r  Make  another  b  d  ot  tihngs  o\er  these  n.e- 
dals,  and  one  of  n.edals  again  on  these  filings.  Continue 
this  alternate  stratification  ot  medal-s  and  filings,  till  you 
have  laid  all  the  medals  you  wanted  to  whiten. 

2.  When  this  is  dore,  fill  up  your  pan  with  water,  and 
put  on  it  a  powder  composed  ot  roch  alum  and  tartar  from 
Montpc  liier,  well  grinded  and  mixed  together.  Boil  the 
■whole  till  the  whitening  of  the  medals  is  coa.plete. 

IS.  B  They  must  have  previously  been  cleaned  with 
soft  sand,  or  strong  lye,  to  purge  them  from  any  grease. 

XIL  To  %vri(e  in  gold  letters  on  fiots,  or  boxes- 

Dissolve  isinglass  in  water.  When  reduced  into  a  size 
or  glue,  dilute  some  red  tartar  with  it  after  having  made  it 
into  a  very  subtile  powder.  With  this  mixture  and  a  pen, 
or  a  pencil,  write  on  your  pots  or  boxes  ;  then  put  a  thick 
gold  leat  on  it,  of  the  same  sort  as  metal  gilders  use.  And, 
when  this  is  dry,  burnish  as  usual. 

XIII.  7 0  gild  silver  in  ivater  gildings  without  the  assistance 
of  mercury. 


1.  Take  first  the  finest  gold,  forge  it  weakish,  then  cut 
it  in  bits  and  neal  it,  on  an  iron  plate,  or  in  a  crucible. 

2.  Have  next  a  glass  matrass,  put  your  gold  in,  and  to 
every  drachm  of  gold,  put  half  a  pound  of  ammoniac  salt, 
and  two  ounces  of  good  aquafortis.  Cover  the  matrass 
with  a  sheet  of  papf  r,  turntd  conically  by  one  of  its  cor- 
ners upon  one  ot  the  long  sides,  so  as  to  form  a  funnel  w  ith 
the  smallest,  and  not  quite  close,  but  terminated  in  a  sn.all 
orifice,  to  give  a  free  passage  to  the  fumes  of  the  aguajor- 
iis  Set  this  matrass  on  a  very  slow  firt ,  that  the  gold  may 
have  time  to  dissolve  gently  and  gradually,  and  shake  of- 
ten the  a.atrass,  to  help  the  dissolution.  Be  very  careful 
not  10  make  the  fire  too  strong  ;  for  the  gold  would  infal- 
libly sublime,  and  waste  itself  all  into  vapours. 

3  When  the  gold  is  entirely  dissolved,  pour  this  liquor 
into  a  glass,  .t  china  bowl ;  wet  some  old  coarse  linen  rags 
on  them,  which  set  to  drain  on  sm.^ll  sticks  on  another 
bowl,  doing  the  same  with  what  drains  from  them  till  you 
have  used  all  your  hquor  ;  thendry  them  belore  agentle 
fire. 

4.  When  dry,  lav  them  on  a  marble  stone,  and  set  them 
on  fire.  And  a-,  soon  as  they  are  consumed  grind  them 
into  a  fine  powder,  which  put  atttr>Yardb  into  a  crucible 


112        SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec. 

on  a  lite  fire-    Wh-^n  this  powder  is  lighted  like  sparkles     ■ 
of  fitv,  put  it  on  the  marble  a^ain,  and  stir  it  with  an  iron 
rod  till  vou  see  no  more  fire.     Grind  it  then  again  as  be- 
fore, as  nnch  as  you  possibly  ca  i,  and  it  is  fit  for  gilding 
any  sort  of  silver  work  you  please. 

XIV.  The  sance  to  be  used  for  colouring  silver  plates,  gilt 

with  the  above  described  fiotvder, 

1.  Grind  well  together,  into  a  subtile  powder,  sulphur 
and  pearl  ashes.of  each  one  ounce,and  two  of  common  salt,   j 

3.  Then,  when  you  want  to  colour  your  gilt  plates,  have  m 
a  quart  of  water,  and  half  a  pint  of  chamber  lye,  in  which  ' 
mix  a  large  spoonful  ot  the  above  powder.  Set  this  to 
boil  in  a  red  copper  pot,  very  clean-  When  the  sauce 
boils,  hold  the  plate  with  a  silver  wire,  and  then  plunge  it 
in  ;  there -leave  it  for  about  a  minuet,  or  two  at  most;  then 
take  it  out  again  by  the  same  wire  without  touching  it  with 
your  hands,  and  plunge  it  in  the  same  manner  in  cold 
clean  water  Should  it  then  not  look  high  coloured  to  your 
satisfaction,  put  it  again  in  as  before,  till  you  find  it  suf- 
ficiently coloured. 

3.  The  next  step  is  to  give  the  piece  thus  coloured  to 
the  burnisher,  with  a  strict  charge  not  to  use  any  vinegar 
in  his  burnish.  This  receipt  is  a  very  good  and  particular 
secret. 

XV.  A  water  which  gilds  cofifier  and  bronze-    A  secret 

very  useful  for  ivatch  and  pin-makers. 

Dissolve  equal  parts  of  green  vitriol  and  ammoniac  salt 
in  good  double  distilled  vinegar  ;  then/ vaporate, the  vine- 
gar, and  put  it  in  the  retort  to  distil.  If  in  the^roduct  of 
the  distillation  you  steep  your  metal  after  being  polished 
and  made  hot,  it  will  come  out  perfectly  "well  gilt. 

XVI.  Another. 

Take  burnt  copper  and  ammoniac  salt,  equal  parts  ; 
alumen  filemeum^  four  ounces  ;  common  salt  depreciated, 
as  much.  Dissolve  the  whole  in  double  distilled  vinegar,  ?| 
then  vaporate  this  vinegar.  Distil  from  the  rest  an  aqua-  i 
fortis,  in  which  if  you  ext'nguish  five  or  six  tinaes,  brass, 
copper,  iron,  or  silver,  made  hot,  these  metals  will  assume 
the  colour  of  gold. 

XVII.  To  gild  steel  or  iron,  after  being  well  polished. 

Take  seven  ounces  of  orpine  ;  terra  merita,  one  and  a 
halt;  succotrine  aloes,fourandahalf;  gamboge,three  an  2 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         ilS 

&  half.  Put  all  into  powder,  and  put  it  in  a  retort,  with  so 
much  of  pickle  water  as  will  cover  these  powders  by  two 
fingers.  Stir  well,  and  mix  all  together,  let  it  infuse  four 
and  twenty  hours  and  distil.  With  the  liquor  which  comes 
from  the  distillation,  keep  by  for  use,  rub  the  steel,  iron^ 
or  copper,  and  set  it  to  dry  in  the  shade. 

XVIII.     To  silver  co/i/ier  figures. 

1.  Cleanse  well  first  the  figures  with  a  strong  lye,  made 
with  either  pearl  or  brill  ashes,  or  common  salt,  or  alum^ 
no  matter  which.  Wipe  them  well  when  done,  and  rub 
them  with  a  composition  of  tartar  and  ammoniac  salt,  mix- 
ed (by  means  oiaquafortis)  with  a  little  dissolution  of  silver^ 

2.  Now  with  a  piece  of  leather,  wetted  in  your  spittle* 
take  of  these  powders,  and  rub  the  copper  figures  till 
they  are  sufficiently  silvered. 

XIX.     To  silver  or  gild  fiezvien 

1.  Take  one  of  the  finest  and  most  delicate  goldsmith's 
wire  brushes,  rub  your  pewter  with  it  so  as  to  mark  it  with 
the  strokes  of  the  brush.  When  done,  lay  a  double  gold  or 
silver  leaf  on  that  place  of  the  pewter ;  then  put  over  it  a 
piece  of  skin  or  leather,  and  over  that  skin  some  putty. 
With  a  burnisher  rub,  for  a  good  while,  on  that  putty  ; 
then  with  a  piece  of  pewter  on  the  naked  gold,  without 
either  skin  or  putty. 

2.  Have  a  care  that  the  pewter  be  very  clean,  and  that 
your  breath  should  not  go  over  it.  Therefore,  to  do  that 
operation,  you  must  put  your  handkerchief  before  your 
mouth,  and  manage  it  so  in  tying  it,  that  there  should  be 
a  passage  preserved  on  each  side  of  your  face,  which 
should  drive  your  breath  along  your  cheeks,  round  your 
head,  and  quite  up  behind  your  ears. 

XX  ji  composition  to  lay  on  leady  tin  or  a7iy  other  me- 
taly  in  order  to  hold  fast  the  ready  gilt  leaves  oj  fiew- 
ter  which  are  a/i/ilied  on  it .°  usejul  for  gilding  on  high 
steefilesy  domes^  i^c, 

1.  Melt  together,  on  a  slow  fire,  black  pitch,  two 
pounds ;  oil  of  turpentine,  four  ounces  ;  and  a  little  rosin. 
When  the  whole  is  dissolved  and  mixed  well  into  a  kind 
of  varnish,  lay  a  coat  of  it  on  your  work. 

2  Upon  steeples,  the  common  method  of  gilding  can- 
not, on  account  of  the  wind,  be  practised  ;  have  only  the 
exact  measures  and  dimensions  of  the  place  intended  to  be 


114         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

gilt,  then  at  home,  and  at  leisure,  cut  to  them  some  fine 
leaves  of  pewter,  and  gild  them  as  usual.  When  done, 
you  have  no  more  to  do  but  to  carry  up  these  pewter  leaves, 
rolled  in  a  basket,  and  having  burnished  the  place  on  which 
they  are  to  be  applied  with  the  above  composition,  lay  the 
gilt  pewter  leaves  on  it,  and  they  will  stand  fast  enough. 

^  XXI.     To  clean  and  ivhiten  silver. 

1.  Rasp  four  ounces  of  dry  white  soap  in  a  dish.  Pour  a 
pint  of  warm  water  on  it.  In  another  dish  put  a  penny- 
worth of  wine  lye  dried  in  cakes,  and  the  same  quantity  of 
the  same  water.  In  a  third  dish  put  also  another  penny- 
worth of  pearl-ashes,  with  another  similar  quantity  of  the 
same  water. 

2.  Then,  with  a  hair  brush  steeped  first  in  the  wine  lye, 
then  in  the  pearl  ash,  and  lastly  in  the  soap  liquors,  rub 
your  silver  plate,  and  wash  it  afterwards  with  warm  water, 
and  wipe  it  with  a  dry  cloth  kept  on  a  horse  before  the  fire 
for  that  purpose. 

XXIL     The  prefiaration  of  gold  in  shell. 

Take  ammoniac  salt,  and  gold  leaves,  equal  quantities. 
Bruise  this  in  a  mortar  for  two  or  three  hours  ;  and  to- 
wards the  end  add  a  di^cretionable  quantity  of  honey. 

XXIII.     To  bronze  in  gold  colour. 

Rub  the  figure  first  with  aquafortis^  in  order  to  cleanse 
and  luigrease  it  well.  Then  grind  on  porphvry,  into  a 
subtile  powder,  and  mix  with  lintseed  oil,  equal  quantities 
of  terra  merita  and  gold  litharge.  With  this  composition 
paint  the  figure  over. 

XXlV     How  to  matt  burnished  gold. 

Grind  together  blood-stone  and  vermilion  with  the  white 
of  an  egg.  1  hen  with  a  pencil  lay  it  in  the  bottom  grounds. 

XXV.     Hoiv  to  the  same  to  burnish  silver, 

Grinf^  ceruse  white  with  plain  water  first,then  with  a  ve- 
ry weak  isinglass  water  ,and  make  the  same  use  of  this  as 
of  the  other. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  ike-         115 

XXVI.  The  method  of  afitilying  gold,  or  silver, in  shell,  on 
the  wood. 

Black  wood,  or  that  which  is  dyed  so,  is  the  fittest  to  ad- 
mit of  this  operation.     The  method  of  applying  it  is  this. 

1.  Take  a  little  gum  adragant,  which  dilute  in  a  good 
deal  of  water,to  make  it  weak-  With  this  weak  gum  water 
dilute  your  gold  or  silver,  and  with  a  pencil  lay  it  on  such 
places  of  your  work  as  receive  and  shew  the  light,  v/ith- 
out  touching  on  those  which  are  the  shades.  To  express 
these,  touch  the  parts  with  indigo  diluted  in  a  very  weak 
gum  arabic  water. 

2.  When  this  is  done,  lay  one  coat  of  drying  varnish, 
made  of  oil  of  spike  and  sandarac.  If  tlie  varnish  be  too 
thick,  thin  it  with  a  little  oil ;  and  in  mixing  it,  take  care 
not  to  boil  it  so  hard  but  you  may  bear  some  en  your  hand 
"without  scalding  the  place. 

N.  B.  Have  attention  to  make  your  gum  waters  for  this 
sort  of  work  always  very  weak  ;  otherwise  they  would 
tarnish  and  spoil  all  the  gold  or  silver. 

XXVII.  To  gild  sandy  gold. 

Take  any  colour,  and  grind  it  either  with  oil,  or  with 
gum  Lay  a  few  coats  of  it  on  your  work,  according  as 
you  think  there  may  be  need  of  it.  When  dry,  lay  one 
coat  of  size,  and  while  it  is  still  fresh,  sift  some  brass  fil- 
ings on  it ;  let  it  dry  so,  and  varnish  it  afterwards. 

XXVIII.   Famish  to  be  laid  on  gilding  and  silvering. 

Grind  verdigrease,  on  marble,  with  common  vva'cr,  in 
which  'you  have  infused  saffron  for  eight  hours. 

XXIX.  The  method  of  bronzing. 

Take  three  pennyworth  of  spal,  one  of  litharge,  a  gill 
of  lintseed  oil,  and  boil  the  whole  to  the  consist'  nee  of  an 
unguent.  Before  you  apply  it,  dilute  the  quantity  you  in- 
tend to  make  use  of  with  turpentine  oil,  and  lay  a  coat  cf 
Vermillion  on  the  .vork  before  bronzing. 

XXX    A  water  to  gild  iron  with. 

1.  Putin  a  glass,  bottle,  with  a  pint  of  river  water,  one 
ounce  of  white  copperas,  and  as  much  f>f  white  alum  ;  two 
drachms  of  verd  grease,  and  tlie  same  quantity  of  com  mon 
salt    Boil  all  together  to  the  reduction  of  one  half.  Then 


116         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

stop  the  bottle  well,  for  fear  the  contents  should  lose  the 
strength. 

2.  To  gild  the  iron  with  it,  nriake  it  red  hot  in  the  fire, 
and  plunge  it  in  this  liquor- 

XXXI-  To  make  thejine  writing  gold. 

1.  Take  gold  in  shell,  and  sulphur,  in  the  proportion  of 
ten  drachnnsof  this,\vell  grinded  on  porphyry  and  amal- 
gamated, to  every  sequin  worth  of  the  other.  Put  this 
mixture  into  a  prcportioiiable  leathtr  bag,  in  which  work 
it  continually  for  the  space  of  two  days, then  pour  all  into  a 
crucible)  and  burn  it  on  a  slow  fire.  This  done,  wash  what 
remains  \vith  filtered  lime  water,  and  by  filiration  also, 
get  your  water  cut  again  from  liie  composition.  Tf  after 
this  operation,  you  do  not  find  it  high  enough  yet  in  hue, 
wash  it  again  and  again  in  the  same  manner,  till  it  looks 
fine 

%  To  apply  it,  dilute  some  bol  armenian  with  isinglass, 
and  write  what  you  please,  and  let  it  dry  ;  then  apply  your 
gold,  and  when  dry  burnish  it. 

XXXII.  How  to  get  the  gold  or  silver  out  of  gilt /dates, 

1.  Mix  together  one  ounce  o^  a  qua  fort  is, and  one  of  spring 
water,  with  n  .If  an  ounce  of  common,  and  one  drachm  of 
ammoniac  salts-  Put  all  on  the  fire,  -and  boil  it :  then  put 
in  the  plate  to  soak  from  \^hich  you  want  to  get  the  gold 
or  silver  out.  A  little  while  after,  take  your  plate  out, 
and  scrape  it  over  the  liquor. 

2.  The  gold  will  re.nain  suspended  in  this  regal  water  ; 
and  to  make  a  separation  of  them,  pour  in  it  double  the 
the  quantity  of  common  water;  or  again,  thro  <  a  halfpen- 
ny in  it,  and  boil  it,  and  all  the  gold  will  fix  itself  to  it. 

XXXlll.  To  gild /loper  071  the  edge- 

1.  Beat  the  white  of  an  egg  in  three  times  its  quantity  of 
comnion  wa*:er,  and  beat  it  till  it  is  all  come  into  a  froth 
Let  it  settle  into  water  again,  and  lay  a  coat  oi  it  on  the 
edge  of  your  paper. 

.  2.  Next  lay  another  of  bol  armenian  and  ammoniac 
salt,  grinded  wjth  soap  suds.  Then  put  the  goldj  and  let 
it  dry  before  burnishing  it. 

XXXIV.  Tq  gild  on  vellum,    y 

Mix  some  saffron  in  pov^der  with  garlic  juice.    Put  two 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         117 

or  three  coats  of  this  on  the  vellum,  and  let  it  dry  a  little, 
but  not  quite.  Then  breathing  on  the  coat  apply  the  gold 
leaf  with  cotton ;  and  when  dry,  burnish  it. 

XXXV.  Another  way. 

Lay  first  a  coat  of  lime  and  burnt  ivory,  grinded  toge'- 
ther  with  a  weak  isinglass  water.  Apply  the  gold  on  itj 
and  when  dry  burnish  it. 

XXXVI.  Another  way. 

Grind  and  mix  together  four  ounces  of  bol  armenian.one 
of  aloes,  and  two  of  starch  ;  dilute  it  in  water,  and  lay  a 
coat  of  it  on  the  vellum,  then  the  gold  immediately.  When 
all  is  dry,  burnish  it. 

XXXVII.  A  gilt  without  gold. 

Take  the  juice  from  saffron  flowers,  in  the  season,  or 
dry  saffron  in  powder,  with  an  equal  quantity  of  yellow 
orpine  well  purified  from  its  eartiiy  particles  Grind  all 
well  together,  and  put  it  a  digesting  in  hot  horse  dung  for 
the  space  of  three  weeks.  At  the  end  of  that  term  you 
may  use  it  to  gild  whatever  youhke. 

XXXVIII.  To  gild  without  gold. 

Open  a  hen's  egg  by  one  end,  and  get  all  out  from  the 
inside.  Refill  it  again  with  chahdonia.s  jujce  and  mercury 
then  stop  it  well  with  mastich,  and  put  it  undt-r  a  hen 
which  just  begins  to  set.  When  the  time  of  hatching  is 
eome,  the  composition  will  be  done,  and  fit  for  gilding. 

XXXIX.  To  gild  on  calf  and  sheep,  skin- 

Wet  the  leather  with  whites  of  eggs-  When  dry,  rub 
it  with  your  hand,  and  a  little  oUve  oil ;  then  put  the  gold 
leaf,  and  apply  the  hot  iron  on  it.  Whatever  the  hot  iron 
shall  not  have  touched,  will  go-off  by  brushing. 

XL.  Gold  and  silver  in  shell. 

1.  Take  salt-petre,  gum  arabic,  and  gold  leaves,  wash 
them  all  together  in  common  water-  The  gold  will  sink  to 
the  bottom,  whence  pouring  the  water  off  you  may  the^ 
put  in  the  shell. 

L2 


lis         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c. 

2.  The  silver  is  worked  in  the  same  manner,  except  the 
saltpetre,  instead  of  which  you  put  white  salt- 

XLI.  To  gild  7narble. 

Grind  the  finest  bol  armenian  you  can  find  with  lintseed 
or  nut  oil  Of  this  you  lay  a  coat  on  the  marble,  ab  a  kind 
of  gold  size-  When  this  is  neither  too  fresh  nor  too  dry, 
apply  the  gold  ;  and^when  thoroughly  dry  burnish  it. 

XLII.  To  apjily  gold  on  glazed  <wares,  christal^  glasst 
china,  is'c. 

Take  a  pennyworth  of  lintseed  oil,  and  as  much  of  gold 
litharge ;  a  half  pennyworth  of  umber,  and  as  much  of 
ceru-e.  Grind  all  togethr  on  marble,  and  with  a  little 
hair  pencil,  dipped  into  the  said  colour,  draw  whatever 
you  will  on  the  abovementioned  wares.  As  soon  as  dry, 
]ay  your  gold  on  it  with  cotton,  which  pass  along  your 
chtek  before  taking  the  gold  with  it.  And  as  soon  as  this 
is  perfectly  dry,  burnish  it. 

XLllI.  Matt  gold  in  oil- 
Take  yellow  ochre,  a  little  umber   white  and  black 
lead,  which  grind  all  together  with  greasy  oil,  and  use  it 
when  necessary. 

XLIV'     To  dye  any  metah  or  stone ^  gold  colour,  nvithout 
gold. 

Grind  together  in  a  subtile  powder  ammoniac  salt, 
white  vitriol.saltpetre  and  verdigrease.  Cover  the  metal, 
or  stone,  you  Vyant  to  dye^  all  over  with  this  powder  Set 
it  thus  covered  on  the  fire,  and  let  it  be  there  a  full  hour  .; 
then  taking  it  out,  plunge  it  in  chamber  lye. 

XLIV.  To  luhiten  cojijier. 

Take  one  ounce  of  zinc,  one  drachm  and  a  third  part 
of  it  of  sublimed  mercury.^  Grind  all  into  a  powder  then 
rub  with  it  what  you  want  to  whiten. 

XLVI.  To  whiten  silver  -witfiout  the  assistance  of  fire. 

Take  Mons  martirum^s  talo,  which  calcine  well  in  an 
oven  till  it  can  be  pulverised  Sifi  i:  vi  ry  fine.  Th  n  dip- 
ping  a  piece  of  cioth  or  stuffin  it,  rub  the  silver  >Yith  it. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.        119 

XLVII.  To  whiten  iron  like  silver. 

Mix  ammoniac  salt  powder,  and  quick  lime,  in  cold 
water.  Then  make  your  iron  red  hot  several  times>  and 
each  time  plunge  it  in  that  solution.  It  will  turn  as  white 
as  silver. 

CHAP.  VlII. 
THE  ART  OF  DYING,  WOODS,  BONES,  &c, 

I.  The  comfiosition  for  red. 

1.  /^HOPBrasil  wood  very  fine,  and  boil  it  in  common 
\J  water,  till  it  has  acquired  an  agreeable  colour,  then 
strain  it  through  a  cloth. 

2.  Give  your  wood  first  a  coat  of  yellow,  made  of  saffron, 
diluted  in  water.  Then  the  wood,  being  thus  previously 
tinged  with  a  pale  yellow,  and  dried,  give  afterwards  se- 
veral coats  ot  the  Brasil  wood  water,  till  the  hue  pleases 
you 

3.  When  the  last  coat  is  drv,  burnish  it  with  the  burni- 
sher, and  lay  another  coat  of  drying  varnish  with  the  palm 
of  your  hand,  and  you  will  have  a  red  oranged  very  agree- 
able. 

4.  If  you  want  a  deeper  red,  or  rather  a  darker,  boil  the 
Brasil  wood  m  water  impregnated  with  a  dissolution  of 
alum,  or  quick-lime. 

II.  Another  red. 

Soak  the  chopped  Brasil  wood  in  oil  of  tartar ;  and  with 
it  rub  your  wood,  proceeding  for  the  rest  as  above  directed' 

III.  Another  way. 

Pound  orchanetta  into  powder,  mix  it  with  oil  of  nut, 
make  it  luke  warm,  ardrub  your  wood  v/ith  it.  The  rest 
as  above. 

IV.  To  dye  wood  of  a  fmrfilish  colour. 

Soak  Dutch  turnsol  in  water ;  add  a  tincture  of  Brasil 
wood  made  in  lime  water,  and  you  wrll  obtain  a  purple, 
with  which  you  may  dye  your  Tvood,  and  then  burnish  and 
varnish  as  usual. 


120  SECRETS  IN  ARTS.  TRADES,  5cc. 

V.  A  blue  fiur file. 

Take  tliat  sort  of  German  turnsol  which  painters  use 
•with  size.  Dissolve  it  in  water  and  strain  it  through  a  lin- 
en cloth.  Give  a  coat  of  this  dye  to  the  wood  ;  and  if  the 
hue  be  too  strong,  give  it  another  of  a  paler  dye,  by  ad- 
ding clear  water  to  a  part  of  the  other.  When  dry,  bur- 
nish it  as  usual. 

VI   Another- 

Four  ounces  of  Brasil,  and  half  a  pound  of  India  woods, 
boiled  together  in  two  quarts  of  water,  with  one  ounce  of 
common  alum. 

VII.  A  blue  for  wood. 

Slack  lime  in  water,  and  decant  it  out  of  the  ground-  In 
three  pints  of  this  water  dissolve  four  ounces  of  turnsol, 
an4  boil  it  one  hour-  Then  give  several  coats  of  it  to  your 
wood. 

VIII.  A  green. 

Grind  Soanish  verdigrease  into  a  subtile  powder  with 
strong  vinegar.  Add  and  mix  well  with  this,  two  ounces 
of  green  vitriol.  Boil  all  of  it  a  quarter  of  an  hour  in  two 
quarts  of  water,  and  put  your  wood  soaking  till  the  colour 
be  to  your  liking.    For  the  rest  proceed  as  above- 

IX.  A  yellow. 

Dissolve  turnsol  in  two  quarts  of  water.  Then  grind 
some  indigo  on  marble  with  that  water,  and  set  it  in  a  ves- 
sel on  the  fire  with  weak  size  to  dilute  it.  When  done 
give  a  coat  of  this  dye  to  your  wood  with  a  brush,  and 
when  dry,  polish  it  with  the  burnisher. 

X.  Another  yellow* 

Boil  in  water  some  grinded  terra  merita,  and  soak  your 
wood  in  it  afterwards. 

XL  Another  finer  yellow. 

Four  ounces  of  Fi-ench  berries,  boiled  for  about  a  quar- 
ter of  an  hour  in  a  quart  of  water,  with  about  the  bulk  of- 
a  filbert  of  roch-alum.    Then  soak  the  wood  in  it> 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c.         1^1 

XII.  To  dye  wood  of  a  Jine  polished  white. 

Take  the  finest  English  whit^  chalk,  and  grind  it  in  sub- 
tile powder  on  marble. then  let  it  dr\  ,and  set  it  in  a  pipkin 
on  the  fire  with  a  weak  sized  waiter,  havin,^  great  care 
not  to  let  it  turn  brown.  When  it  is  tolerably  hot,  give 
first  a  coat  of  size  to  your  wood,  a'.d  let  it  dry  ;  then  jrive 
one  or  two  coats  of  the  aforesaid  white  over  it.  These 
bei'ig  dry  also,  polish  with  the  rushes  and  burnisli  with 
the  buri-isher. 

XII T.  To  dye  in  fiolished  black. 

Grind  lampblack  on  marble  with  gum  water.  Put  it 
next  in  a  pipkin,  and  give  a  coat  of  this,  with  a  brush  to 
your  wood  ;  then  polish  it  when  dry. 

XIV.  .Another  way' 

Soak  bitsof  rusty  iron  in  the  best  black  ink.  A  few  days 
after  rub  your  wood  with  it,  and  when  you  see  it  well  pen- 
etrated and  dry,  polish  it  with  the  burnisher. 

XV.  To  imitate  ebony- 

Infuse  gall  nuts  in  vinegar,  wherein  you  have  soaked 
rusty  nails  ;  then  rub  your  wood  with  this,  let  it  dry,  po- 
lish and  burnish. 

XVI.  Another  way. 

Chuse  a  good  hard  wood,  and  not  veiny,  such  as  pear, 
apple  or  hawthorn  trees,  and  black'  n  them.  Whtn  black, 
rub  thtm  with  a  bit  of  cloth  ;  then  with  a  reed  brush 
made  on  purpose,  dipped  in  mehed  wax.  mixed  in  a  i  ot 
with  common  black,  rub  3  our  wood  till  it  shines  like  ebony. 

XVII.  Another  wuy. 

Hollv  is  a  very  fit  sort  of  wood  to  take  the  dye  of  ebony 
Fortn  it  first  into  the  shape  you  intend  to  give  it.  thn.  put 
it  in  a  hatter's  copprr  to  boil,  leave  it  till  it  has  acquired  a 
perfect  degree  of  blackness  Then  take  off  the  film  ot  the 
dye,  and  polish  it  as  you  would  ebony,  with  rushes,  &c. 

XVIII.  AJine  black  easily  made. 
Take  good  ink,  put  it  in  a  stone  pan,  new  and  well  neal- 


122         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  See. 

ed.  then  set  it  in  the  sun  to  exficcate  it  into  a  cake.  When 
drv,  take  and  scrape  it  out  fronn  the  pan  with  a  knite,  and 
grind  it  into  an  impalpable  powder  on  marble.  This  pow- 
der diluted  with  varnish,  will  produce  a  fine  black. 

XIX.  To  dye  nvood  diver  fashion. 

Pound  tin  glass,  in  a  mortar,  and  reduce  it  into  powder. 
Add  water  to  it  by  de.ejrees,  till  it  come  into  a  liquid  like 
liquor  for,  painting.  Put  it  in  a  clean  pipkin,  with  size, 
and  set  it  on  the  fire  to  warm.  Brush  your  wood  with  this 
liquor,  and  when  it  is  dry,  burnish  it. 

XX,  To  dye  in  gold,  silver,  or  coji/ier- 

Pound  very  fine,  in  a  mortar,  some  roch- crystal  with 
clear  water,  set  it  to  warm  in  a  new  pipkin,  with  a  little 
size, and  give  a  coat  of  it  on  your  wood  with  a  brush.  When 
dry,  rub  apiece  of  gold,  silver.or  copper.on  the  wood  thus 
prepared,  and  it  will  assume  the  colour  of  such  of  these 
metals  as  you  rub  it  with.  After  this  is  done,  burnish  it 
as  usual. 

XXI.  To  give  nut,  or  fiear  tree^  ivhat  undulation  you  like 

Slack  some  quick  lime  in  chamber-lye.  Then  with  a 
brush  dipped  in  it  form  your  undulation  on  the  wood  ac- 
cording to  your  fancy.  And  when  dry  rub  it  well  with  a 
rind  of  pork. 

XXII.  To  imitate  the  root  of  nut  tree- 

Give  seven  or  eight  coats  of  size  to  your  wood,  till  it  re- 
mains shiny.  Then  before  your  size  is  quite  dry,  strike 
here  and  there  a  confused  quantity  of  spots  with  bistre 
grinded  with  common  water.  When  dry  varnish  it  with 
the  Chinese  varnish. 

XXIII.  To  give  a  fine  colour  to  the  cherry-tree  wood. 

Take  one  ounce  of  orchanetta  ;  cut  it  in  two  or  three 
bits,  and  put  it  to  soak  for  forty-eight  hours  in  three 
ounces  of  good  oil  of  olive  Then  with  this  oil  anoint  your 
cherry  tree  wood  after  it  is  worked  and  shaped  as  you  in- 
tencj  it ;  it  will  give  a  fine  lustre. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         123 
XXiV.     To  marble  nvood. 

1.  Give  it  a  coat  of  black,  diluted  iw  varnish.    Repeat  it 
t  one,  two,  three  or  as  many  tinties  as  you  think  proper ;  then 

polish  it  as  flsunl. 

2.  Dilute  some  white  varnish  made  with  white  gum,  or 
shell  lac,  and  white  sandarac.  Lny  this  white  on  the 
black  ground,  tracing  with  it  what  oddities  you  hke 
When  dry,  give  a  Ight  rub  with  rushes,  then  wipe  it,  and 

<  give  a  last  coat  of  fine  transparent  white  varnish,  in  order 
I  to  preserve  the  brightness.    Let  this  dry  at  leisure,  then 
polish  it. 

XXV.     To  imii^te  white  marble. 

Break  and  calcine  the  finest  white  marble  you  can  find; 
grind  it  as  fine  as  you  can,  and  dilute  it  with  size.     Lay 
two  coats  of  this  on  your  wood,  which,  when  dry,  polish 
'  and  varnish  as  before  directed. 

XXVI.     To  imitate  black  marble. 

Burn  some  lamp  black  in  a  shovel,  red  hot,  then  grind  it 
with  brandy.  For  the  bigness  ot  an  ev^g  uf  black,  put  the 
size  of  a  pea  of  lead  in  drops,  as  much  ot  tallow,  and  the 
same  quantity  of  soap.  Grind  and  mix  these  together,  then 
dilute  it  with  a  very  weak  size  water.  Give  four  coats  of 
this,  and  when  dry,  polish  as  usual. 

XXVII.    A  count  erf  action  of  coral. 

1.  Reduce  goat's  horns  into  a  subtile  powder.  Put  it  in 
a  clear  lye  made  of  lime  and  pearl  ashes.  Let  it  there 
rest  for  a  fortnight.  When  reduced  into  a  palp,  add  cin- 
nabar in  powder,  or  dragon's  blood  in  tears,  pulverised  ve- 
ry fine,  in  what  quantity  you  thmk  necessary  to  give  the 
quantity  of  matter  you  have  got  afine  and  perfect  corol  hue. 

2-  Next  boil  this  composition  till  it  con  es  very  thick, 
then  take  it  off  from  the  fire  and  mould  it  \n  moulds  shap- 
ed in  forms  of  coral.  Or  else  cast  it  again  in  what  other 
sorts  of  moulds  y«u  like,  to  make  figures  of  it,  and  other 
sorts  of  work,  which  will  produce  a  fine  effect. 

Observation.  This  secret  was  wor  h  immense  sums  of 
money  to  him  who  !ou  d  it  out  The  Turks  paid  them 
magnificently.  But  this  branch  of  tra!e  was  soon  put  to 
an  end  by  rhe  cheats  which  were  pracUbed  with  the  mer- 
chants of  Tunis  and  Algiers- 


124         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c. 

XX VII I.     To  take  the  imfircssion  qfany  seal. 

1.  Take  half  a  pound  of  mercury ;  the  same  quantity  oi 
chrystalline  vitriol;  is  much  verdii^rease  Pulverise  well 
these  two  last  ingredients,  and  put  them  along  l^ith  the  first 
in  a  new  iron  pan,  with  smith's  forge  water-  Stir  all  well 
■with  a  wooden  spatula,  till  the  mercury  is  perfectly  incor- 
porated with  ihe  powders.  Then  wash  that  paste  with  cold, 
water  and  change  it  till  it  remains  quite  clear  as  when  you 
put  it  in.     Put  the  lump  in  the  air,  it  will  harden. 

2.  When  you  want  to  take  the  impression  of  a  seal  with 
it,  place  it  over  the  fire  on  an  iron  plate.  When  there 
appears  on  it  some  drops  like  pearls,  then  it  is  hot  enough; 
take  it  off  and  knead  it  in  your  hands  with  your  fingers,  it 
■will  becomes  phable  like  wax  ;  smoothen  one  side  of  it,  and 
apply  it  on  the  seal,  pressing  it  to  make  it  take  the  impres- 
sion. When  done,  lift  it  up,  and  set  it  in  the  air,  where  it 
will  come  again  as  hard  as  metal,  and  will  serve  you  to  seal 
the  same  letter  as  the  original  seal,  without  probability  of 
discovering  it,  should  even  the  real  one  be  laid  on  it. 

XXIX.    Another  way^ 

Heat  some  mercury  in  a  crucible,  and  silver  filings  in  an- 
other, in  the  proportion  of  two  parts  of  mercury  to  one  of 
silver.  As  soon  as  the  mercury  begins  to  move,  pour  it  on 
the  silver  fihngs.  Let  this  cool,  and  then  put  it  in  a  glass 
mortar.  Pound  it  well  with  a  pestle  of  the  same,  and  add  a 
little  water  in  which  you  have  dissolved  some  verdigrease. 
Stir  this  for  three  days,  five  or  six  times  a  day.  Decant 
out  the  verdigrease  water,  and  replace  it  with  good  vine- 
gar, with  which  pound  it  again  in  the  same  mortar,  as  be- 
fore, a  couple  of  hours,  changing  vinegar  as  soon  as  it 
blackens.  Pound  it  again  two  hours,  with  chamber  lye  in- 
stead of  vinegar,  changing  it  the  same,  during  that  time,  as 
you  did  the  vinegar^  Then  take  that  matter,  lay  it  on  a 
wash-leather  skin,  which  bring  up  all  round  it,  and  tie  it 
above  with  a  string.  Press  the  lump  well  in  that  skin,  so  as 
to  separate  and  squeeze  out  all  the  superfluous  mercury 
■which  passes  through  the  leather.  When  none  comes  out, 
open  the  skin,  take  the  lump  in  your  hand,  iand  knead  it, 
and  siioothen  one  side  of  it  to  take  the  impression  you  like, 
pr'^ceeding  for  the  rest,  as  above  directed.  It  hardens  in 
the  air,  and  softens  with  the  heat  of  the  hand  as  you  would 
do  a  piece  of  wax. 

XXZ.     To  get  birds  with  wite  feathers^ 

Make  a  mixture  of  semfier  vvvum  majus's  juicCs  and 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         125 

olive  oil,  and  rub  with  it  the  ej^gs  on  which  the  hen  is  sett- 
ing. All  the  birds  which  shall  come  from  those  eggs  will 
be  white  leathered. 

XXXL     To  soften  ivory. 

In  three  ounces  of  spirit  of  nitre,  and  fifteen  of  white 
■wine,  or  even  mere  spring  water,  mixed  together,  ]mt 
your  ivory  a  soaking.  And  in  three  or  four  days,  it  will  be 
so  soft  as  to  obey  under  the  fingers. 

XXXIl.     To  dye  ivory  thus  softened. 

1.  Dissolve,  in  spirit  of  wine,  such  colour  you  want  te 
dye  your  ivory  with.  And  when  the  spirit  of  wine  shall 
be  sufficiently  tinged  with  the  colour  you  have  put  in, 
plunge  your  ivory  in  it,  and  leave  it  there  till  it  is  suffi- 
ciently penetrated  with  it,  and  dyed  inwardly.  Then  give 
that  ivory  what  form  you  will» 

2.  To  harden  it  afterwards,  wrap  it  in  a  sheet  of  white 
paper,  and  cover  it  with  decrepitated  common  salt,  and 
the  driest  you  can  make  it ;  in  which  situation  leave  it 
twenty -four  hours. 

XXXIII.    Another  way  to  soften  rjory. 

Cut  a  large  root  oi mandrake  into  small  bits,  and  infuse 
.first,  then  boil  it  in  water.  Put  your  ivory  in  this  boiling 
liquor,  and  boil  it  too,  till  as  soft  as  wax. 

XXXIV.     To  whiten  ivory,  which  has  been  spoiled. 

Take  roch-alum,  dissolve  it  in  water,  in  a  sufficient 
quantity,  to  render  the  water  all  milky.  Boil  this  liquor, 
and  soak  your  ivory  in  it  for  one  hour,  then  rub  it  with  a 
hair  brush.  When  done,  wrap  it  in  a  wet  piece  of  linen 
to  dry  it  leisurely  and  gradually,  otherwise  it  would 
certainly  split. 

XXXV.     To  whiten  green  ivory  :  and  whiten  again  that 
.||  which  has  turned  of  a  brown  yellow. 

1.  Slack  some  lime  in  water,  put  your  ivory  in  that  water, 
after  decanted  from  the  ground,  and  boil  it  till  it  looks 
white 

2.  To  polish,  set  it  on  the  turner's  wheel,  and  after  hav- 
jng  worked  it,  take  rushes  and  pumice  stone  subtile  pow- 
der with  water,  rub  it  till  it  looks  perfectly  smooth.  Next 
tp  that,  heat  it,by  turnipg  it  against  a  piece  of  linen,  ot 

M 

/ 


126         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

sheepskin  leather,  and  when  hot,  rub  it  over  with  a  little 
%vhitening  diluted  in  oil  of  olive,  continuing  turning  as 
before;  then  with  a  little  dry  whitening,  and  apiece  of 
soft  white  rag.  When  this  is  performed  the  ivory  will 
look  as  white  as  snow. 

XXXVl.     Tofietrifynvood.lsfc, 

Take  equal  quantities  of  gena  salt,  roch-alum,  white 
vinegar  calx,  and  pebbles  powder.  Mix  all  these  ingre- 
dients together,  and  there  will  happen  an  ebullition.  If, 
after  it  is  over,  throw  in  this  liquor,  any  porous  matter, 
and  leave  it  there  soaking  for  three,four,  or  five  days,  they 
will  positively  turn  into  petrifactions. 

XXXVII.     To  imitate  tortoise  shell  ivith  horn. 

Take  one  ounce  of  gold  litharge,  and  half  an  ounce  of 
quick  linne.  Grind  all  together,  and  mix  it  to  the  consis- 
tence of  pap,  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  chamber-lye. 
Put  of  this  on  the  horn,  and  three  or  four  hours  afterwards 
it  will  be  perfectly  marked. 

XXXIII.    A  firefiarationfor  the  tortoise  shell 

Mike  a  mixture  as  above,  of  quick-lime,  orpine,  pearl 
ashes,  and  aquafortis.  Mixed  well  together.and  put  your 
horn  or  tortoise  shell  soaking  in  it. 

XXXIX.     To  dye  bones  and  mould  them  in  all  manner 
ofshafies. 

1.  Boil  together  twelve  pounds  of  quick-lime,  and  one  of 
calcined  roch-alam,  in  water  to  the  reduction  of  one  third. 
Add  two  mor-  pounds  of  quick-lime,  and  boil  it  again  till 
it  can  carry  an  egg  without  its  sinking  to  the  bottom. 
Let  it  cool,  then  filter  it. 

2.  Take  twelve  pounds  of  that  liquor  ;  half  a  pound  of 
rasped  Brasil  wood,  and  four  ounces  o  scarlet  fl  )Cks  ;  boil 
all  about  five  mmuteson  a  sIoa  fire,  then  decant  ihe  clear- 
est part  of  it.  and  put  it  by.  P'it  on  the  faects  of  Brasil 
■wood  and  scarlet  about  four  pounds  of  the  first  water  ,  boil 
it  the  same  time  as  the  other,  and  decant  the  clearest  part 
of  it  on  the  other.  Repeat  this  operafon,  till  the  new 
added  water  draws  no  more  colour  from  the  facts. 

3.  N'j  ^  rasp  any  quantity  ol  bones, and  boil  iheu  in  cl  ar 
lime  water.  Ttiea  take  them  out,put  them  in  a  matrass.and 


SECRETS' IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         127 

over  them  pour  some  of  the  tinged  water,  so  as  to  soak 
them.  Place  the  matrass  on  a  mild  sand  bath  and  evapo- 
rate the  liquor.  Add  some  more  liquor  and  evaporate  it 
again,  continuing  to  add  and  evaporate  the  tinged  liquoFj 
till  the  rasped  bones  are  all  turned  into  a  soft  paste. 

4.  Take  this  paste,  and  mould  it  as  you  like,  in  tin  or 
other  moulds,  to  make  whatever  thing  or  figure  you  want. 
Set  it  in  the  mould  for  a  day  or  two.  till  it  acquire  the 
?hape  you  wish  it  ;  to  harden  it  boil  it  in  a  water  of  alum 
snd  salt  petre  first  afterwards,  in  oil  of  nut-  These 
figures  look  incontestibly  to  be  made  of  bones, without 
conceiving  how  they  can  be  made  such,out  of  that  matteri 
and  in  one  solid  piece. 

XL.  To  dye  bones  in  black- 

Take  six  ounces  of  litharge,  and  the  same  quantity  of 
quick  lisne.  Boil  all  in  common  water,  along  with  the 
bones.  Keep  stirring  till  the  water  begins  to  boil.  Then 
take  it  out,  and  never  cease  stirring  till  the  water  is  cold 
again  ;  by  that  time  the  bones  will  be  dyed  black. 

XLI.  To  soften  bones. 

Take  equal  parts  of  Roman  vitriol,  and  comrnon  salt. 
Distil  the  spirits  out  by  the  root.  If  in  the  water  you  get 
from  the  distillation,  you  put  the  bones  a-soaking,  they 
■will  become  as  soft  as  wax. 

XLII.  2^0  dye  bones  in  green. 

Pound  well  together  in  a  quart  of  strong  vinegar,  three 
ounces  of  verdi.t?rease,  as  much  of  brass  tilings,  and  a 
handful  of  rue  When  done,  put  all  in  a  glass  vessel  along 
■with  the  bones  vou  want  to  dye,  aiid  stop  it  well  Carry 
this  into  a  cold  cellar,  leave  it  for  a  fortnight,  the  bones 
■will  be  dyt  d  green. 

XLIII.  ^  salt  for  hardening  soft  bones. 

Take  equal  quantities  of  ammoniac,  common  decrepi- 
tated and  i<em  sahs,  as  well  as  oi  /diwuunj  mecuririum^ 
roch  and  shell  alums.  Pulverise  and  riiix  altot:etlier,  then 
put  it  in  a  glass  vessel  well  stoj^e^l,  which  bury  in  hot 
horse  dung,  that  the  matter  should:^  rrrelt  into  wa»er.  Con- 
geant  Km  "-«-«*.— o.«xWmv=> — -. J^v .  .  ■.«.■..  .  V -  •  i  ■ — -— "- — ■— — - — 1^ 
leqidum  again  by  means  of  the  horse  durg,  as  before. 
When  thus  liquified  tor  the  second  tinr-e,  it  is  fit  for  use. 
Keep  it  to  harden  and  consolidate  any  thing;  smear  it  over 
■with  it. 


128         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  5ie. 

XLIV.   ro  makejiguresy  or  vasts,  with  egg  shelly. 

Put  ep:g  shells  in  a  crucible,  and  place  it  in  a  potter's 
furnace  for  two  days,  that  they  may  there  be  perfectly 
calcined,  then  grind  thea.  dry  into  a  subtile  powder 

2  Next,  with  gum-arabic  water  and  whites  of  eggg, 
beaten  together,  nsake  a  liqucir,  with  which  kneatl  that 
powder,  and  make  a  paste  or  dough  or  it. 

3-  With  that  dough,  to  which  give  the  consistence  of 
potter's  clay,  make  and  form  whatever  figure  or  vase  you 
like,  and  set  them  in  the  sun  to  dry. 

XLV.  To  dye  bones  and  ivory  of  a  fine  red. 

1.  Boil  scarlet  flocks  in  clear  water  assisted  with  pearl 
ashes  to  draw  the  colour  the  better  ;  then  clarify  it  with 
roch  alum,  and  strain  this  tincture  through  a  piece  of  linen. 

2.  To  dye  afterwards  any  bones  or  ivory  in  red  you 
must  rub  them  first  with  aquafortis,  and  then  immediate- 
ly with  this  tincture. 

XLVl.  To  make  a  fiast  in  imitation  of  black  marble. 

Dissolve  two  ounces  of  spalt  on  a  gentle  fire,  in  a  glazed 
pipkin.  When  in  perfect  fusion,  add  a  third  part  of 
harable,  ready  melted,  stir  altogether.  Wlien  both  are 
well  mixed  and  united,  take  the  pipkin  off  the  fire,  and 
throw  the  contents,  boiling  hot,  into  a  mould  of  a  fine  pol- 
ish in  the  inside-  When  cold  and  dry,  take  the  piece 
from  off  the  mould,  and  you  will  find  that  nothing  can  imi- 
tate so  well  black  marble  as  this  deceptive  composition^ 

XLVIT.  To  dye  marble^  or  alabaster,  blue  orfiurpk' 

1.  Pound  together  in  a  marble  mortar,  parsnips  and 
purple  lillies.with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  white  wire  vine- 
grT.  Proportion  the  quantity  of  parsnips  and  lillies,  to 
each,  other,  according  to  the  hue  you  wish  to  give  the  li- 
quor. If  you  cannot  get  one  of  these  two  juices,  make 
use  of  that  you  can  get ;  and  to  every  pound  of  liquor 
mixed  and  prepared,  put  an  ounce  of  alum. 

2  In  this  dye  put  your  marble  or  alabaster,  and  boil 
them,  supposing  they  are  not  too  considerable  to  go  into 

♦  hr  •^'    2'^'^'  ^T,:*u  .K  -s  v./j,,^..  A  r^fl  if  they  be,  >-"  r.-iuot  heat 

one  part  ot  it  as  much  as  you  possibly  can,  then  dye  it 
■with  the  liquor  boiling  hot,  as  thus  proceed  from  place  ta 
place,  till  you  have  dyed  it  all  over' 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         129 
XLVIII.     To  soften  auibeTy  otherwise  Karabe. 

Melt  fine  white  and  pure  wax  in  a  glass  vessel.  When 
melted,  put  your  amber  in  it,  and  leave  it  there  till  you 
find  it  soft  to  your  satisfaction.  Then  take  it  out  and 
give  it  what  form  you  like.  To  harden  it  again  put  it  Ir 
a  dry  place  in  the  shade. 

XLIX.     To  whiten  ivo^y  which  has  been  s/ioiled. 

Take  a  little  black  soap,  and  lay  it  on  the  ivory.  Present 
it  to  the  fire,  and  when  it  has  bubbled  a  little  while,  wipe 
it  off. 

L.   To  whiten  bones. 

Put  a  handful  of  bran  and  quick  lime  together,  in  a 
new  pipkin,  with  sufficient  quantity  of  water,  and  boil  it. 
In  this  put  the  bones.and  boil  them  all  till  perfectly  freed 
from  greasy jjarticles. 

LI.     Td  dye  bones  in  green. 

Grind  well  a  discretionable  quantity  of  verdigrease, 
■which  you  put  with  vinegar  in  a  coy)per  vessel,  and  the 
bones  in  it-  Cover  this,  and  lute  it  so  well  that  no  air  can 
come  at  the  contents.  Put  in  hot  horse  dung,  and  leave 
it  there  for  a  fortnight,  aftt-r  which  time  take  your  bones 
out  ;  they  will  be  coloured  of  a  fine  green,  which  will  nc 
ver  rub  off. 

LII.     To  bronze  wooden,  filaister,  ivory,  or  other  figures 
so  that  the  bronze  may  stand  water  for  ever. 

1.  Grind  English  brown  red,  as  fine  as  possible,  with 
nut  oil.  With  this  paint  all  over  the  figure  intended  to 
be  bronzed,  and  let  it  dry. 

2.  Have  next  some  powder  of  Germain  gold  in  a  shelly 
and  in  another,  some  of  the  varnish  described  in  Art.  Ixiiio 
Chap.  iii.  Dip  a  pencil  in  the  varnish,  and  then  in  the 
gold,  and  give  as  smooth  and  equal  a  coat  of  this  to  your 
figure  as  you  can. 

3.  To  save  expence,  you  may  instead  of  the  gold,  take 
some  fine  bronze  which  is  much  cheaper. 

LIII.    A  water  to  dye  bones  and  wood. 

1.  Put  the  strongest  white  wine  vinegar  in  an  earthe^i 
M2 


130  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

pan,  in  which,  set  to  infuse  for  seven  days,  copper  filing's, 
Ronti an  vitriol,  roch  alum,  and  verdigrease. 

2.  Ill  this  liquor  put  a-boiling  what  you  want  to  dye,  and 
it  will  take  the  colour  perfectly. 

3.  If  you  want  a  red  dye,  instead  of  verdigrease  put 
some  red;  if  yellow,  put  some  yellow,  &c-  according  to 
the  Colour  you  may  require,  with  a  discretionable  quanti- 
ty of  roch- alum  for  either. 

LIV.     To  dye  bones  and  ivory  an  emerald  green. 

Put  in  aquafortis  as  much  flos  lenei  as  it  can  dissolve  * 
and  in  that  water  put  a-soaking  tor  twelve  hours  only, 
wliatever  you  want  to  dye,  and  they  will  take  the  colour 
to  perlectjon  m  that  space  of  time. 

LV.     To  whiten  alabaster  and  white  marble- 

Infuse  for  twelve  hours,  some  subtile  pumice  stone  pow- 
der, in  verjuice  ;  ihen  with  a  cloth  or  a  spon.^e,  wet  yout 
maible  with  the  liquor,  and  it  will  become  perfectly 
wh.te. 

LVI.     To  dye  wood  vermilion  colour, 

Smnothen  and  rub  well  the  wood  first ;  then  give  it  foul' 
or  five  coats  of  vermilion,  subtil^ly  pulverised,  and  dilut- 
ed with  line  and  curd  cheese  water.  When  dry.  pn^lish  it 
over  again  with  rushes  and  t>il  of  spike  ;  then  for  the  last 
give  it  four  or  live  coats  of  varnish,  made  with  harabe 
(amber)  and  oil  of  spike  and  let  ii  dry. 

f^VlI  To  soften  horn,  so  that  you  may  cast  it  in  a  mould 
as  melted  lead. 

Make  a  strong  lye  with  equal  quantities  of  pearl  ashes 
and  quick  li  u«  Rasp  your  horns,  and  put  these  nispings 
in  that  Ive  They  will  soon  turn  into  pr:p.  Then  put  in 
this  pap  vhatever  colour  you  like,  and  cast  it  in  w  hate  vet 
mduld  you  choose. 

Let  these  ^sta-^d  in  the  mould  a  day  or  two  to  acquire  the 
shape  you  wa,  t,  more  perf^ct:ly.  a-'d  to  ii-trden  rhfc:>v  boil 
thetn  in  a  water  of  aluai  and  salt  petre  first  and  aft^r* 
^ards  m  oil  of  nut. 


[    131    3 

CHAP.  X. 

SECRETS   RELATIVE  TO  THE  MAKING  OF  CURIOUS 
AND  USEFUL  SuRTS  OF  INK. 


I.     j1  good  shining  ink. 

1.  T>UT  four  quarts  of  warm  water  in  a  glazed  pipkin. 
Jr  Add  eight  ounces  of  turpentine  oil,  and  one  pound 
of  gall-nuts  bruised  in  a  mortar.  Let  the  whole  infuse 
thus  for  a  week,  then  boil  it  gently,  till  with  a  pen  you  may 
draw  a  stroke  yellow  and  shiny  with  it.  Strain  it  through 
a  strong  cloth.  Set  it  on  a  blasting  fire,  and  as  soon  as  it 
boils,  add  seven  ounces  of  green  vitriol  to  it,  keep  stirring 
it  with  a  stick  till  it  is  P'  rtVctly  dissolved.  Let  this  rest 
for  two  days»  without  disturbing  it.  There  will  be  a  skim 
on  the  top,  which  must  be  fhiown  off.  Decant  .next  the 
clearest  part  into  another  vesst  1,  which  you  set  on  a  gentle 
fire,  to  evaporate  about  two  fingers  of  the  liquor,  then  let 
it  rest  four  or  five  davs,  and  it  will  be  fit  for  use. 

2  Rdin  water,  or  that  in  which  walnuts  have  been  in- 
fused, are  both  very  good  for  making  of  ink. 

3.  Wtth  while  wine,  or  old  beer,  you  u;ay  likewise  make 
very  good  shining  ink. 

4.  A  carp's  gall  is  very  proper  to  mix  among  it 

II.    To  write  on  grease ^  and  make  the  ink  run  on  it-. 

1.  Cut  a  bullock's  gall  open  into  a  pan,  and  put  a  hand* 
ful  ot  salt  and  ibout  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of  vinegar  to  it, 
which  you  stir  and  mix  vvell.  Thus  you  may  keep  the  gall 
for  twelve  months,  without  its  corrupting. 

2.  When  you  are  writing,  and  you  find  your  paper  or 
parch uient  greasy,  put  a  drop  of  th.it  gall  amon>?  your  ink 
in  the  ink-horn,  and  you  will  find  no  more  difficulty  to 
make  your  pen  mark, 

HI.  ^n  ink-stone,  with  which  ink-stands  may  be.  made^  and 
ivith  which  you  may  write  wichout  ink' 

1,  Take  Rum  arabic,  fourteen  ownces  ;  lamp  bUck, 
thirteen  ;  and  burnt  willow  vood  coals,  three.  Pound  the 
guai  into  an  irnpalpabU*  powder,  and  dis  olvt  it  into  a  pint 
of  coM,'',:on  water.  This  done,  kneaUyour  above- r  en t inn* 
s.d  powders  with  part  ot  this  gum  water,  so  as  to  make  a 


132         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

paste  or  dough  of  them,  as  it  were  for  bread.  With  this 
dough  form  ink- stands,  ot  the  shape  and  form  you  hke 
b'rst,  and  in  th-se  ink-stands,  while  the  composition  is  still 
soft,  you  may  stamp  a  few  small  holes. 

2  rhis  done,  dry  these  stands  in  an  ardent  furnace  for 
four  hours,  or  in  the  shade,  a  sufficient  time.  When  dry, 
brush  tiiem  over  wiih  your  aforementioned  gum-water, 
till  they  appear  as  black  and  shiny  as  jet,  and  as  hard  as 
n^arble. 

3,  When  you  want  to  use  them,  put  a  few  drops  of  wa- 
ter in  one  of  the  holes,  and  put  a  pen  to  soak  in  it  at  the 
same  time.  Ifthe  watcrbe  but  just  put  in, the  ink  will  not 
be  quite  so  black  ;  but  if  it  have  remained  a  little  while, 
it  will  be  as  black  as  the  blackest  of  any  inks. 

IV.  To  tvr'ite  with  convncn  clear  water. 

Take  gall  nut  powder,  and  vitriolxalcined  in  the  sun  to 
■whitenes'^,of  each  four  ounces. and  sandarak,one  and  ahalf.  s< 
All  being  pulverised  nnd  mixi^d,  rui)  \  our  paper  with  that 
povvder  ;    then  steeping  your  pen  in   any  coniraon  water, 
and  writing  with  it.it  will  appear  black  tike  any  other  ink, 

'    V.  A  good  ink  both  for  drawing  and  writing. 

1  Bruise  with  a  hammer  one  poand  of  gall-nuts,  and  put 
it  to  in  use  for  a  fortnight  in  the  sun,  in  two  quarts  of 
clear  wa'er,  stirring  it  now  a'  d  then.  Strain  this  miusion 
thi*oug»i  a  sieve  or  clorh  in  a  glazed  pipkin. 

2.  iu  another  vessel  pui  two  ounces  of  gum-arabic,  and 
-halfof  the  above  infusi'-n  In  the  other  halt  which  remains 
ttj  dissolve  two  ounces  and  a  half  of  German  green  vitriol,, 
and  let  it  intuse  for  four- and  twentyhours.  Join  afterwards 
boch  infusions  tog  ther  ;  and  a  week  Hfterv\  ards,  or  there- 
abouts, the  ink  w;!l  be  very  good,  and  fit  tor  use- 

VI.  To  make  very  good  ink  <mithout  gall-nuts,  which  will 
be  equally  guod to  wash  drawings  and  plans>  and  strike- 
very  neat  Lines  wiih  the  pen. 

1.  In  half  a  pound  of  honey  put  one  yolk  of  an  egg,  and 
beat  it  a  good  while  with  a  fl.it  stick.  Then  asperse  the 
matter  over  with  three  drachtns  ot  gum  arabic  in  subtile 
powder.  Let  this  stav  about  three  davs,  during  which 
beat  it  often  with  a  stick  of  walnut-tree  wood. 

2  Next  to  this,  put  to  it  .-.uch  a  quantify  ot  lampblack  as 
will  make  it  in  consistence  of  a  dnugh,  which  vou  make  in. 
cakes,  and  dry  it  in  the  air,  to  render  it  portable- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         133 

3.  When  you  want  to  use,  it  dilute  it  with  water,  or  with 
a  lye  made  eithf^r  of  vine- wood  ashes,  or  walnut-tree,  or 
©ak>  or  even  peach  bto^es. 

VII.  Anivisible  ink. 

4  Dissolve  one  ounce  of  ammoniac  salt  in  a  glass  tuirbler 
of  water,  and  write-  Whin  you  wish  to  maie  the  writing 
appear,  hold  the  pap.  rto  the  fire, and  it  will  beconne  black. 

2.   The  same  may  be  done  with  the  juice  of  an  onion. 

VIII.  Another  way. 

Dissolve  some  alum,  and  write  with  the  liquor.  Steep 
the  paper  in  water,  and  the  writing  will  appear  white. 

IX.  To  make  good  India  ink. 

Burn  some  lamp-black  in  a  crucible  till  the  fume  which 
arises  in  doing  it,  hiis  eiitirely  subsided  ;  grind  it  next  on 
porphry,  or  marble,  witli  a  pretty  strong  water  of  t^nni- 
tragacaiith.  Add  an  equnl  quanticy  of  indigo  burot,  and 
gnnded  in  the  ^ame  manner.  Then  mix  them  both  to- 
geiher  on  the  store,  and  grind  them  tor  two  hours.  Gath- 
er up  the  composition,  in  a  flat  square,  of  the  height  and 
thickness  you  are  willing  to  give  to  your  stxks.  Cut  these 
W!th  a  knife  to  your  intended  size,  aud  pat  them,  if  you 
chuse  into  an  ir(»n  mould  ;  and  lest  the  paste  should  stick 
to  them,  rub  the  mside  ot  the  mould  with  ian»p  or  ivory 
black,  or  with  pe ach  stones  dust,  which  you  burn  in  a  cru- 
cible .stifled  with  a  brick  to  stop  it  wcll« 

X.  Red  Ink. 

Dissolve  half  an  ounce  of  gum-arabic  in  three  ounces 
of  rose  water.  Thc-n  with  tins  water,  dilute  cinnubar,  ver- 
milion, or  mimium. 

Ink  of  any  colour  may  be  made  in  the  same  manner,  by 
substituting  only  a  proper  colouring  ingredient  to  the  afor- 
mentioned  cinnabar,  8cc. 

XI.  A  green  ink. 

.  Grind  together  vrrdigreasp  s;^ffron,  me  juice,  't.^"  «'»" 
lute  this  paste  in  the  above- mentionea  gum  rose  water- 


134         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Szc. 

XII.    To  make  an  ink  which  afifiears  and  disappears  alter- 
nately' 

Write  v/ith  an  infusion  of  gail-nnts  filtered  through 
brown  paper,  and  the  writing  will  not  be  visible  When 
you  vant  to  make  it  appear,  steep  a  liille  sponge,  or  bit 
of  cotton,  into  an  infusion  of  vitriol,  and  pass  it  over  the 
written  place  of  the  paper  ;  the  writing  will  in^nnediately 
appear  To  rub  it  off,  and  nnake  the  paper  look  all  white 
again,  do  the  same  with  the  spirit  of  vitriol,  and  all  the 
writing  will  be  gone.  To  make  it  V'S'ble  ag-iin  rub  the 
paper  over  wiih  oil  of  tartar  ;  and  thus  continue  for  ever. 

XIII.     The  invisible  method  of  conveying  secretS' 

1st.  Ink. 

Infuse  for  twenty-four  hours,  half  an  ounce  of  gold  lith- 
arge in  half  a  pint  of  distilled  white  wine  vinegar,  and 
shake  the  bottle  often  during  the  first  twelve  hours  of  the 
infusion.  When  all  is  well  settled,  decant  the  clt^ar  part 
in'to  another  phidl,  which  you  must  stop  carefully,  and 
throw  the  faeces  away. 

If  you  have  any  secret  to  communicate  to  a  friend,  write 
it  with  this  liquor,  and  it  will  he  no  more  vissible  than  if 
you  wrote  it  with  clear  pump  water. 

XIV.    jln  ink  to  ivrite  over  the  other. 

2d.  Ink. 

Over  the  secret,  written  with  the  first  invisible  hik,  you 
write  any  indifferent  ntiatter  with  the  following  composi, 
tion. 

Burn  some  corks  in  the  fire  :  and  when  they  are  so  tho- 
roughly burnt  as  to  blaze  no  mr.re,  p-it  them  into  a  bason, 
and  soak  them  with  brandv  ;  then  grind  theni  into  a  paste, 
which  when  \  ou  want  tousp.  vou  dilute  with  distilled  wa- 
ter, till  it  is  fit  to  write  with  like  any  other  ink. 

XV.      AnAher  ink  ivhich  effaces  the  second,  and  makes 
the  first  appear. 

Sd.  'nk. 

Dilute  rose  water  and  sorrel  juice  separately.  Put  half  a 

— P^«-fc  of^ach  together  in  a  bottle^ v^itlLtwo  ounces  of  quick 

lime,  and  niicTTf  ,iur*plgnent.  Stir  this  well,  now  and  then, 

and  let  it  infuse  during  twentv-four  hours,  as  you  did  the 

fir-^t.  Decant  the  clear  part,  and  throw  the  grounds  away. 

When  you  want  to  find  out  what  was  written  with  the 

first  invisible  ink,  and  which  lies  concealed  under  the  se- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         136 

cond  black  one.steep  a  sponj^e  into  this  present  liquor.and 
passing  quickly  over,  every  line;  what  was  written  in 
black  vanishes  at  one  stroke  and  what  was  invisible  ap- 
pears in  its  stead  as  black,  and  as  much  effaceable  as  if 
written  with  common  ink. 

XVI.    jin  ink  which  will  go  offin  six  days. 

Write  with  willow- wood  cinders,  pulverised  and  diluted 
•with  common  water. 

XVII.  Another  which  you  may  rub  off  when  you  filease. 

Dilute  gun-powder  in  common  water,  and  write  with  it 
on  a  piece  of  parchment ;  then  when  you  want  to  efface  it, 
take  your  handkerchief  and  rub  it  off. 

XVIII.  Powder  ink. 

Take  equal  parts  of  black  rosin,  burnt  peach,  or  apri- 
cot stones,  vitriol  and  gall  nuts,  and  two  of  gum-arabic. 
Put  the  whole  in  powder,  or  in  a  cake,  as  you  like  best. 

XIX.  An  exceeding  good  writing  ink' 

1.  Boil  half  a  pound  of  India  wood  shavings  in  two  quarts 
of  good  vinegar,  to  the  reduction  of  one  half.  Take  off 
the  shavings,  and  substitute  four  ounces  of  gall  nuts  bruis- 
ed, and  put  all  into  a  strong  bottle,  whicli  vou  expose  in 
the  sun  for  three  or  four  days,  shaking  it  during  that  time 
three  or  four  times  a  day.  Then  add  a  dissolution  of  two 
ounces  and  a  half  of  gum-arabic  in  half  a  pint  ol  either 
water  or  vinegar  Let  the  whole  stand  again  in  the  sun 
for  a  week,  shaking  it  several  timts  every  day.  during  that 
term  ;  strain  that  liquor  afterwards,  and  keep  it  for  use. 

2.  'f  you  should  want  to  render  this  ij.k  shiny,  you  nmst 
dissolve  both  the  vitriol  arid  gum  arabic  in  an  intusion  of 
India  wood,  made  as  before  direct!  d,  with  the  addition  of 
one  handful  of  pomegranate  rinds  in  the  bottle  wherein 
the  gall  nut  is. 

3.  If  instead  of  setting  this  composition  in  the  sun,  you 
should  boil  it,  it  will  take  but  a  quarter  of  an  hour  a-doing 
But  it  is  never  so  good,  and  besides,  ulway  s  turns  muddy, 

XX.  A  gold  colour  ink,  without  gold. 

Put  half  a  drachm  oi  saffron  one  of  aur  p:gment,  and 
one  she-g  at's,  or  five  or  sjx  jack  galls  in  a  ylHS'>  bottle; 
ai'd  set  for  afortnight  in  hot  horse  dung  At  tie  end  ot  tiat 
term,  add  a  ^ill  of  gum  wnter  ;  and  j)lace  t  ^gtii  tm  the 
same  length  of  time  in  horse  dung.    Then  it  is  fii  tor  us^. 


136  SECRET  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  See. 

XXI.  Another  way. 

Pulverise  into  an  impalpable  powder  one  ounce  of  orpine, 
and  as  much  crystal.  Put  this  powder  in  five  or  six  whites 
of  eggs  b.  aten,  then  turned  into  water.  Mix  all  well,  and 
it  will  be  fit  either  to  write  or  to  paint  in  gold  colour. 

XXII.  To  nvrite  in  silver  without  silver. 

Mix  so  well  one  ounce  of  the  finest  pewter  and  two  of 
quicksilver  together,  that  both  become  quite  fluid.  Then 
grind  it  on  porphyry  with  gum-water,  and  write  with  it. 
All  the  writing  will  look  then  as  if  done  with  silver. 

XXIir  A  good  shining  ink. 

Infuse  for  a  day  in  quart  of  good  table  beer  half  a  pound 
of  the  blackest  and  most  shiny  gall  nuts  you  can  find.  Add 
three  ounces  of  gum-arabic,  and  half  an  ounce  of  brown 
sugar  candy,  with  fo\ir  ounces  of  green  copperas.  Then 
boil  the  whole  in  a  glazed  pipkin  for  about  an  hour,  strain 
it  through  a  cloth,  and  put  it  in  the  celler  to  keep  for  use. 

'i^XlN.  Ablueink. 

Dilute  half  a  pound  of  indigo  with  some  flake  white  and 
sugar,  in  a  sufficient  quantity  of  gum-water- 
The  same  may  be  done  with  ultramarine, and  gum- water. 

XXV.  A  yellow  ink. 

.-DHute  in  gum-water  some  saflfron,  or  French  berries,  or 
gamboge,  and  you  will  have  a  yellow  ink.  The  same  may 
be  done  with  any  other  colouring  ingredient,  to  obtain  an 
ink  of  the  colour  one  likes  to  have. 

XXVI.  A  gveen  ink  which  may  keep,  two  years. 

Put  a  pint  of  water  on  the  fire  in  a  varnished  pipkin  ; 
and  when  it  is  ready  to  boil,  throw  in  two  ounces  of  ver- 
digreasc  pounded,  and  boil  it  gently  on  a  slow  fire  for  the 
space  of  half  an  hour,  stirring  it  often  during  that  time 
•with  a  wooden  spatula.  Then  add  one  ounce  of  white 
tartar,  well  pulverised,  and  boil  it  one  quarter  of  an  hour. 
Strain  two  or  three  times  through  a  cloth,  then  set  it  be- 
fore the  fire  to  evaporate  part  of  it,  in  order  to  make  it 
more  shiny.  But  observe,  that  the  more  it  boils,  the  more 
it  loses  of  its  green  colour,  and  approaches  to  tbe  t>lue. 


Secrets  in  arts,  trades,  &c.      isr 

XXVII.     A  shining  tnk. 

"Put  in  a  clean  brass  cauldren  six  quarts  of  white  wine,  ol' 
beer,  or  rain  water,  with  one  pound  of  gall-nut.'',  and  two 
ounces  of  roch-aium  in  powder,  which  you  boil  all  togeth- 
er, to  the  reduction  of  one  half.  Take  this  liqur.r  off  trajja 
the  fire,  and  strain  it  through  a  cloth  into  a  gl-ztd  pipkin, 
and  set  it  on  the  fire  again  for  two  h' urs  longer.  Then  for 
the  three  or  four  following  days,  observe  to  stir  it  well  only 
with  a  little  stick,  without  boiling  it  at  all ;  it  will  be  fit  for 
use.  Whenever  you  use  it,  it  will  be  very  pale,  but  in 
twenty-four  hours  after,  it  will  be  as  black  as  jet. 

j  XXVIII.  A  ivay  of  writing  which  will  not  be  visible^ 
\  unless  you  hold  the  fiafier  to  the  sun,  or  the  light  of  a 
I       candle. 

Take  flake  white,  or  any  other  whitening,  and  dilute  it 
in  a  water  impregnated  with  gum  adragant.  If  you  write 
j  -with  this  liquor, the  writing  will  not  be  perceivable,  unless 
you  apply  the  paper  to  the  sun,  or  the  light  of  a  candle. 
The  reason  why  it  is  so,  is,  that  the  rays  of  light  will  not 
find  the  same  facility  to  pass  through  the  letters  formed 
with  this  liquor,  as  through  the  other  parts  of  the  paper. 

XXIX.    A  secret  to  revive  old  writings,  which  are  almost 
defaced' 

Boil  gall-nuts  into  wine  :  then  steeping  a  sponge  into 
that  liquor,  and  passing  it  on  the  lines  of  the  old  writing, 
all  the  letters  which  were  almost  undecypherable  will 
appear  as  fresh  as  newly  done. 

XXX.     To  write  in  gold  or  silver  letters. 

Take  gold  or  silver  in  shells,  and  dilute  it  with  some 
gum-arabic  water.  Then  dip  either  a  pen  or  a  pencil  in 
it,  and  write. 

XXXI.  An  iris  on  white  fia/ier. 

Boil  in  a  new  iron  pot  any  quantity  of  sublimate  with 
common  water,  and  a  handful  of  small  nails.  When  the 
mercury  begins  to  revivify,  which  happens  after  two  or 
three  hours  boiling,  throw  the  whole  in  a  pan  <;f  cold 
water,  half  filled,  and  place  it  uncovered  for  one  night,  in 
a  bog-house.  Then  the  colours  will  swim  on  the  top.  Ob- 
serve that  the  pan  must  be  perforated  at  the  lowest  part 


138         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

on  one  side,  and  stop  it  with  a  cork  or  any  other  common 
thing;  and  that  a  sheet  ot  white  paper  must  have  been 
placed  at  the  bottom  of  it,  previous  to  the  half-filhng;  it 
Avith  the  cold  water,  in  which  you  are  directed  to  throw  the 
boiling  composition.  After  this  has  been  left  in  the  bog  house 
the  space  of  one  night,  and  the  colours  do  swim  on  the  top, 
unstop  the  hole,  and  let  the  pan  empty  itself.  Then  the 
colours  will  settle,  and  fix  themselves  on  the  sheet  of  pa- 
per ;  and  when  this  begins  to  dry,  take  it  quite  out  of  the 
pan,  to  finish  drying  it  in  the  shade. 

XXXII.     A  shining  ink. 

1.  In  a  quart  of  rain  water  settled,  filtered  and  purified, 
infuse  for  four  or  five  hours,  on  a  slow  fire,  one  pound  of 
gall-nuts,  chusing  the  smallest  and  blackest  Let  them  be 
previously  bruised  in  a  mortar,  with  some  promegranate, 
rinds,  and  raspings  of  fig-tree  wood.  Next  to  this  make  a 
lye  of  six  ounces  of  Roman  vitriol,  and  boil  it  for  the  space 
of  one  hour  at  least,  stirring  it  with  a  stick  of  fig-tree 
■wood  ;  then  let  it  rest  twelve  hours,  and  sitt  it. 

2.  On  the  same  ground  you  may  add  the  same  quantity 
of  water,  and  let  it  infuse  three  days ;  then  boil  it,  as  above 
directed,  with  new  copperas. 

XXXIII.    ^  common  ink. 

1.  Bruise  six  ounces  of  gall-nuts,  and  as  much  gum- 
arabic,  and  nine  of  green  vitriol.  Put  them  afterwards  in 
three  quarts,  at  least,  of  river,  spring,  or  rain  water.  Stir 
the  composition  three  or  four  times  a  day.  And  after  seven 
days  infusion,  strain  all  through  a  cloth,  your  ink  is  made. 

2.  This  ground,  as  well  as  that  above,  will  admit  of 
fresh  water  being  put  to  it,  with  an  addition  of  vitriol  also. 

XXXIV.    Huiv  to  firefiare  firinters  ink. 

1.  Take  one  pound  of  common  tupentine,made  with  the 
sandarak  of  the  ancients,  which  is  nothing  else  but  juniper 
and  lintseed  oil.  Add  to  it  of:e  ounce  of  rosai  black, 
■which  is  the  smoke  of  it,  and  a  sufficient  quantity  of  oil  of 
nuts. 

2  Set  this  composition  on  the  fire,  and  boil  it  to  a  good 
consistence.  Such  is  the  «  hole  secret.  Obst  rve  h  nvever, 
that  in  the  summt^r  it  must  boil  a  little  more, and  a  little  l-ss 
in  fhe  winter.  For  in  the  summer  the  ink  must  be  thicker, 
and  thinner  in  the  wmter  ;  because  the  heat  makes  it 
more  fluid.  In  which  case  it  is  ihere'ore  proper  t(^  boil  it 
alittlv:  more,  or  to  dimiiiish  the  quatitity  of  oil,  allowed  in 
the  proportion  to  that  ot  the  turpentine. 


i 


[     139     J 

CHAP.  XI. 

SECRETS  RELATIVE  TO    WINE. 

I.     7'o  jnake  a  -uine  firoduce  a  sweet  ivine. 

ONE  month  before  gathering  the  grapes,  you  must  twist 
such  branches  as  are  loaded  with  them,  so  as  to  inter- 
rupt the  circulation  of  the  sap;  then  strip  the  leaves  oflen- 
tircly,that  the  sun  may  act  with  all  its  power  on  the  grains, 
and,  by  dissipating  their  superfluous  moisture,  procure  a 
sweetness  to  the  liquor  contained  in  theni,  when  they  come 
to  be  pressed. 

II.     To  make  a  sweet  wine  of  a  very  at^reeable  favour^ 
and  besides  very  wholesome. 

.  Gather  the  grapes,  and  expose  them  for  three  whole 
days  in  the  sun.  On  the  fourth  day  at  noon,  put  them  under 
the  press,  and  receive  th^-  first  drop  which  runs  of  itself 
before  pressing.  When  this  virgin  drop  shall  have  boiled.^ 
or  fer.iiented,  put  to  every  fifty  quarts  of  it  one  ounce  of 
Florentine  or  rice  in  subtile  powder.  A  few  days  after  take 
it  out  clear  from  its  lye,  and  then  bottle  it. 

III.     To  clarify  in  two  days  new  wine  when  muddy. 

Take  a  discretion  able  quantity  of  fine  and  thin  beech 
shavings,  which  put  into  a  bag,  and  hang  by  the  bung- hole, 
in  the  cask.  Two  days  after,  take  out  the  bag  ;  and  it  from 
red  you  want  to  make  it  white,  you  nriay  do  it  by  putting 
in  the  cask  a  quart  of  very  clear  whey. 

IV.     To  make  the  wine   keefi  mout  or  unfermentcd  for 
twelve   monthss 

Take  the  first,  or  virgin  wine,  which  runs  of  itself  from 
the  grapes  before  pressing  ;  cask  arid  stop  it  well,  then 
smfar  the  chsJc  all  over  with  tar  so  that  the  water  could 
not  penelrnte  through  any  part  of  the  wood  into  the  wine. 
Plunge  thfse  casks  into  a  pond  deep  enough  to  cover  them 
entirely  with  water,  and  leave  them  there  for  forty  days. 
After  which  term  you  riiay  takt'  them  out  and  the  wine 
contained  in  them  will  keep  for  twelve  months. 


140         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec- 


V.    To  darijy  a  ivine  ivhich  h  tur7ied. 

Take  clean  roch-alum  in  powder,  half  a  pound  ;  sugar 
of  roses,  as  nnuch  ;  honey,  whether  skinimed  or  not,  eight 
pounds,  and  a  quart  of  good  wine.  Mix  all  well,  and  put 
it  in  a  cask,  o^  wine,  stirring  all  as  vou  pour  it  in.  Take 
the  hung  off  till  the  n^xt  day,  then  put  it  on  again.  Two 
or  three  daj's  after  this,  it  will  be  quite  clear. 

VI'  To  firevent  wine  from  corrujiting. 

Put  to  infuse  in  a  cask  a  handful  of  gentian-root,  tied  m 
a  bag. 

VII,    To  firevent  mne  from  growing  sour^  and  turning 
into  vinegar. 

Hang  by  the  bung-hole,  in  the  cask,  a  piece  of  bacon,  of 
about  one  pound  and  a  half,  and  replace  the  bung.  Or 
else  throw  into  the  wine  a  little  bagful  of  ashes  of  virgin  vine^ 

Vill.  To  restore  a  wine  turned. 

Draw   a  pailful  of  it  ;  or,  take  the  same  quanthy  of 
another  good  sort,  which  boil,  and  throw  boiling  hot  over 
that  which  is  spoiled  and  stinking;  then   stop  the  cnsk  • 
quickly  with  its  bung.     A  fortnight  after  taste  it,  and  you 
%vill  find  it  as  good  as  ever  it  was,  or  can  be. 

IX.  To  restore  a  wine  fusted,  or  tasting  of  the  cask. 

Draw  that^vine  entirely  out  of  its  own  lye,  and  put  it  in 
another  cask  over  a  goo  i  lye.  Then  through  the  bung- 
h.-.le,  h.mg  up  a  bag  with  four  ounces  of  luirel  berritrs  in 
powder,  and  a  sufficient  quantity  of  steel  filings  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  bag  to  prevent  its  swimming  on  the  top  ot  the 
"wine.  And  in  proportion  as  you  draw  a  certain  quantity 
of  liquor,  let  down  the  bag. 

X.  To  firevent  wine  from  /iricking. 

Put  in  the  cask  half  a  pound  of  spirit  of  tartar.  Or 
else,  when  the  wine  is  still  new  and  7nout,  throw  in  tw& 
ounces  ot  common  alum  for  every  hogshead. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         14i   ' 

XL  To  make  wine  keep.. 

Extract  the  salt  from  the  best  vine  brarxhes  ;  and  of 
this  put  three  ounces  in  every  hogshead  at  Martiumass, 
when  the  casks  are  bunged  up. 

XIL  To  clarify  wine  easily. 

Put  in  the  cask  two  quarts  of  boiling  milk>  after  having 
well  skimmed  it. 

XIII.  To  firevent  wine  from  turning. 

Put  in  the  cask  one  pound  of  hare's  shot.  - 

XIV.     To  correct  a  musty  taste  in  wine. 

Knead  a  dough  of  the  best  wheat  flour,  and  make  it 
in  the  form  of  a  rolling  pin,  or  a  short  thick  stick.  Half 
bake  it  in  the  oven,  and  stick  it  all  over  with  cloves.  Re- 
place it  in  the  oven  to  finish  baking  it  quite.  Suspend  it 
in  the  cask  over  the  wine  without  touching  it,  and  let  it 
remain  there  ;  or  else  let  it  plunge  in  the  wine  for  a  few 
days,  and  take  it  quite  out  afterwards.  It  will  correct 
any  bad  flavour  the  wine  might  have  acquired. 

XV.  To  correct  a  sour,  or  bitter  taste  in  wine. 

Boil  a  quartern  of  barley  in  four  quarts  of  water,  to  the 
reduction  of  two.  Strain  what  ren>ains  through  a  cloth, 
and  pour  it  in  the  cask,  stirring  all  together  with  a  stick, 
without  touching  the  lye. 

XV i.    To  restore  a  spoiled  wine- 

Chanee  the  wine  from  its  own  lye,  upon  that  of  good 
wine.  Pulverise  three  of  four  nutmegs,  and  as  many  dry 
orange  peels,  and  throw  them  in.  Stop  well  the  bung, 
and  let  it  ferment  one  fortnight  After  that  term  is  over, 
you  will  find  it  better  than  ever.  This  method  has  gone 
through  many  experiments. 

XVII.  To  sweeten  a  tart  mne. 

Put  in  a  hogshead  of  such  wine,  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of 
good  wine  vinegar,  saturated  with  litharge  ;  and  it  will 
soon  lose  its  tartness. 

XVIII.  To  prevent  tartness  in  wine. 

Take  in  the  month  of  March,  two  basonfula  of  rives?. 

N  S 


142-        SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  See. 

sand,  and  after  having  dried  it  in  the  sun,  or  in  the  dveu 
throw  it  in  the  cask. 

XIX.  To  heighte?!  a  wine  in  liquor ^  and  give  it  an  agreea- 
bltjia-vour. 

Take  two  dozen  or  thereabouts  of  myrtle  berries,  very 
ripe.  Bruise  them  coarsely  after  having  dried  them  and 
put  them  in  a  bag,  which  suspend  in  the  middle  ot  the 
cask  then  stop  this  well  with  its  bung.  A  fortnight  after- 
"w  jrds  take  off  the  bag,  and  you  v/ill  have  a  very  agreeable 
wine. 

XX.    To  give  wine  a  most  agreeable  flavour. 

Take  a  pailful  of  moiit,  which  boil  and  evaporate  to  the 
consistence  of  honey.  Then  mix  with  it  an  ounce  of 
Fl'irentine  orrice,  cut  in  small  bits,  and  one  drachm  of  cos- 
tus.  Put  all  into  a  bag,  and  let  it  down  in  the  cask  bv  the 
bung  hole^  after  having  previously  drawn  out  a  sufficient 
quantity  ot  wine  to  prevent  the  bag  from  coming  at  it  This 
bag  being  thus  suspended  bv  a  string  which  will  hang  out 
of  the  bung  hoi  •,  stop  it  well  and  there  will  drop  from  the 
bag  into  th?  wine  a  hquor  which  will  give  it  a  most  agree- 
able taste- 

XXI.  How  to  find  out  whether  or  not  there  be  water  mix- 
ed in  a  cask  of  wine . 

Throw  in  the  cask  one  wild  pear  or  apple.  If  either  of 
these  fruits  swim,  it  is  a  proof  the  re  is  no  water  in  the 
■S7ine  >  for  if  there  be  any,  it  will  sink- 

XXIL  To  separate  water  from  wine- 

Put  into  the  cask  a  wick  of  cotton,  which  should  soak  in 
the  wine  by  one  end, and  come  out  of  the  cask  at  the  bung- 
hole  bv  the  other  ;  and  every  drop  of  water  which  may 
happen  to  be  mixed  w.th  the  wine,  will  still  out  by  that 
wick  or  filter 

You  may  again  put  some  of  this  wine  into  a  cup  made 
of  ivy  wood,  and  then  the  water  will  perspire  through  the 
pores  of  the  cup,  and  the  wine  remain. 

XXIII.  To  ungrease  wins  in  less  tha?i  twenty-four  hours- 

Take  common  salt,  gum-arabic,  and  vine  brush  ashes, 
of  each  halt"  an  ounce.  Tie  all  in  a  bag,  and  fix  it  to  a 
hazel-tree  stick  then  by  the  bnng-hole.  stir  well  the  wine 
for  a  quarter  ol  an  hour  after  which  take  it  out,  and  stop 
the  cask-    The  next  day  the  wine  will  be  as  sound  as  ev^t 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         143 

XXIV.  To  cure  those  who  are  too  much  addicted  to  drink- 
ing wine. 

Cut  in  the  spring  a  branch  of  vine,  in  the  time  whep 
the  sap  ascends  most  strongly  ;  and  receive  in  a  cup  the 
liquor  which  runs  from  that  branch.  If  you  mix  some  of 
this  hq'ior  with  wine,  and  give  it  to  a  man  already  drunk, 
he  will  never  relish  wine  afterwards. 
« 
XXV.  To  recover  a  person  Jro?n  intoxication. 

Make  such  a  person  drink  a  glass  of  vinegar,  or  some 
cabba>;e  juice,  otherwise  give  him  some  honey  You  may 
likewise  meet  with  success  by  giving  the  patient  a  glass 
of  wine  quite  warm  to  drink,  or  a  dish  of  strong  ccffee, 
■without  mjlk  or  sugar?  adding  to  it  a  large  tea-spoontul  of 
salt. 

XXVI.  To  preserve  wine  good  to  the  last. 

Take  a  pint  of  the  best  spirit  of  wine,  and  put  in  it  the 

bulk  of  your  two  fists  of  the  second  peel  of  the  alder  tree, 

■which  is  green.  After  !t  has  nifused  three  days,  strain  the 

liquor  through  a  clothe  and  pour  it  into  a  hogshead  of  wine^ 

♦That  wine  will  keep  good  for  ten  years,  if  you  want  it. 

XXWl.  To  make  currant  wiJie. 

Gather  your  currants  when  full  ripe,  which  will  com- 
inonlv  be  aI)out  the  ritiddie  of  July  ;  break  them  well  in  a 
tub  or  vat,  (some  have  a  mill  constructed  for  the  purpose* 
cons)Sting  of  ahopper  fixed  upon  two  lignum  vitse  rollcr.v) 
Press  out,  and  measure  your  juice,  and  to  each  gallon  put 
two  gallons  of  water;  to  one  gallon  of  this  mixture  put  three 
pounds  of  Muscovada  sugar,  or  well  clarified  coarse  su- 
gar ;  stir  it  well  till  the  sugar  is  quite  dissolved,  and  then 
turn  it  up. 

Your  casks  should  be  sweet  and  clean,  such  as  have  not 
had  either  beer  or  cider  m  them,  and  if  new,  let  them  be 
first  well  seasoned. 

As  v^ine,  made  in  the  common  manner,  either  of  grapes 
or  currants,  is  long  fermenting,  we  thmk  that  to  filter  it 
through  a  sand  filter,  wr.uld  be  of  great  benefit.  All  li- 
quors that  require  to  ferment  are  injured  in  proportion  to 
the  tinpe  that  is  requisite  to  complete  the  fermentatioti  ; 
and  this  time  is  longer  or  shorter,  in  proportion  as  there  is 
more  or  less  of  those  substances  in  the  liquor  that  fermen- 
tation throws  off. 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  observe,  that  your  juice  shojld 
not  stand  over  night ;  after  bein^  pressed  out  it  should  be 


144         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  Scc^ 

immediately  mixed,  and  put  up  in  casks,  before  fermenta- 
tion commences.  The  casks  should  not  be  so  full  as  to 
work  out  at  the  bung:,  but  when  the  fermentation  is  done, 
the  casks  should  be  filled.  While  fermenting,  something 
should  lightly  cover  the  bung  hole,  so  as  to  prevent  flies, 
8cc.  getting  in  ;  as  soon  as  the  fermentation  is  over,  the 
casks  should  be  stopped  up  If  your  wine  has  been  filtered, 
in  the  manner  above  mentioned,  it  will  not  require  rack- 
ing;, but  may  stand  upon  the  lees,  until  drawn  oflp-for  use. 
Wine  that  stands  upon  the  lees  attains  a  stronger  body. and 
is  in  a  great  measure  divested  of  that  sweet,  luscious  taste, 
peculiar  to  made  wines  ;  nay,  if  it  is  not  wanted  for  pre- 
sent use,  it  may  without  any  damage  stand  two  years  on 
the  lee's.  When  the  wine  is  drawn  off.  the  ^es,  by  dis- 
tillation, afford  a  fine  spirit;  some  put  this  spirit  into  the 
wine  again,  the  practise  is  not,  however,  recommended. 

When  you  make  currant  wine,  do  not  be  prevaiK  d  upon 
to  add  more  than  one  third  juice,  as  above  prescribed, 
in  hopes  the  wine  may  be  richer,  for  that  would  render  it 
infallibly  hard  and  unpleasant ;  nor  yet  a  greater  propor- 
tion of  sugar,  as  it  would  certainly  deprive  itof  us  pure 
vinous  taste. 

Bv  this  management  you  may  have  wine,  letting  it  have 
a  proper  age,  equal  to  Madeira,  at  least  superior  to  most, 
wines  commonly  imported?  and  for  much  less  money. 

To  make  thirty  gallons  of  wine,  the  proportion  of  each, 
ingredient,  is,  eight  gallons  of  juice,  sixteen  of  water,  and 
seventy-two  pounds  of  sugar,  equal  to  six  gallons,  making 
in  all  thirty  gallons. 

N  B.  An  extraordinary  good  spirit  for  medicinal  and 
other  uses, may  be  distilled  from  currant  juice,  by  adding 
one  quart  of  molasses  to  a  gallon  of  juice,  to  give  it  a  pro- 
per fermentation. 

XXVIII.     To  make  excellent  nvine  ofafifile  cider. 

Take  of  ripe  and  mellow  fruit,  the  last  of  September,©!? 
in  October,  grmd  them  fine,  and  let  the  pummice  stand 
over  one  ni^ht  before  pressing  it  out,  if  it  can  without  dan* 
ger  of  fermenting.  When  your  cider  is  made,  boil  two 
barrels  of  it  down  to  one ;  then  strain  it  through  clean  sand 
placed  in  a  vessel  made  like  a  lye  tub  After  it  is  strained 
put  it  in  a  clean  cask,  set  it  in  a  cool  cellar,  and  after 
two  yeais  it  will  be  fit  for  use  If  k.rpt  for  three  or  four 
years,  it  is  equal  to  Rhenish,  or  Malaga  wines.  Much, 
however,  depends  upon  the  quality  of  your  cider. 

XXIX.    Another  Method. 

Take  of  cider  (made  and  clarified  as  directed  in  Art.  ?•.  ,| 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  145 

Chap,  xix.)  one  barrel  ;  add  thereto  of  honey,  sufRcient  to 
make  it  hear  an  e^g  Stir  the  h  5n(.y  well  into  it,  and  put 
'  it  into  a  clean  cask  to  stand  and  ternient  Wliile  ft  f  iiicot- 
ing  fill  the  cask  up  eachdav,  that  the  filth  may  work  out 
at  the  bung-hole  When  the  fermentation  has  subsided, 
put  the  bung  loosely  in,  lest  you  burst  the  cask.  At  the  end 
of  five  or  six  weeks,  draw  the  liquor  off  into  a  clean  tub, 
take  the  white  of  eight  eggs,  and  if  the  hquor  be  not  per- 
fectly clear,  put  to  them  a  pint  of  clean  sand,  beat  the 
eggs  and  sand  well  together,  and  put  them  into  the  liquor. 
Then  add  a  gallon  of  cider  spirit,  and  a:ter  the  whole  is 
well  mixed  "and  stirred  together,  and  your  cask  well 
cleaned,  return  it  into  the  cask,  bung  it  up  tight,  and 
place  it  in  a  proper  situation  for  racking  off  in  the  follow- 
ing April. 

.  Wine  has  been  made  by  following  the  preceding  direc- 
tions, equal  or  superior  to  most  foreign  wines,  and  at  less 
than  a  fifth  ot  the  cost. 

XXX.    Matile  wine. 

Boil  four,  five,  or  six  gallons  of  sap  (according  to  its 

^trength)  into  one,  and  add  yeast  according  to  the  quantity 

you  make-    After  it  is  fern  ented,    set  it  aside  in  a  cool 

place,  well  stopped,    if  kept  for  two  or  three  years  it  will 

become  a  pleasant  sound  wme. 


CHAP.  xri. 

CONCERNING  THE  COMPOSITION  OF  VINEGARS. 

I.     7b  make  good  wine  vinegar  in  a  short  lime. 


T 


''IHROW  some  Taxus,  wood,  or  yew-tree,  in  any  wine, 
and  It  will  act  be  long  be. ore  it  turns  into  vinegar. 

II.    To  change,  wine  into  strong  vinegar. 


Take  tartar,  ginger,  and  long  pepper,  of  each  equal 
doses.  Infuse  all  for  one  we^  k,  in  good  strong  viTiegar,  then 
take  it  out  and  let  it  dry  When  you  Wc^nt  to  mdke  vh  e- 
gnr,  put  a  bag  full  of  these  drugs  in  wine,  it  will  soon  turn 
into  vinegar. 

HI.     To  make  very  good  and  strong  vinegar  with  the 
worst  0/ wines. 

Grind  into  subtile  powder  five  pounds  of  «rude  tartar. 


146  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

Pour  on  it  one  pound  of  oil  of  vitriol  Wrap  up  the  whole 
in  a  bag,  tie  it  and  hang  it  by  the  bung-h.)le.  in  a  cask  of 
bad  and  totally  spoiled  wine,  M^ove  and  stir  now  and 
then  that  bag  in  the  wine,  and  it  will  turn  into  very  good 
vinegar. 

IV.    To  turn  wine  into  vinegar  in  less  than  three  hours. 

Put  in  the  wine  a  red  beet,  and  it  will  be  quite  sour  and 
true  vinegar  in  less  than  three  hours. 

V.     To  restore  such  a  wine  to  its  Jirst  taste. 

Take  off  the  red  beet,  and  in  its  stead  put  a  cabbage 
root  into  that  wine,  and  it  will  return  to  its  primary  taste 
in  the  same  space  of  tinne. 

VI.  ^w  excellent  prefiaration  of  vinegar. 


1.  Take  white  cinnamon,  long  pepper,  and  cyfirus,  of 
each  an  ounce  ;  round  pepper,  half  an  ounce,  and  two  nut- 
me.^s.  Pulverise  each  drug  separately,  and  put  them  in 
so  many  distinct  bags.  Put  them  in  six  different  and  se- 
parate quarts  of  the  best  vinegar,  and  boil  them  two  or 
three  minutes, 

2.  Then  buil  separately  six  quarts  of  good  wine- 

3.  S:;ason  a  cask,  which  is  done  by  pouring  i  quart  of 
the  best  vinegar  into  it, with  which  you  rnise  it.  Then  pour 
in  vour  boiled  wine  and  vinegars,  and  till  half  way  the 
cask  with  the  worst  and  most  s. soiled  wine.  Stop  the  cask, 
and  keep  it  till  the  vinegar  is  done.  Then  draw  from  it, 
and  refil  the  cask  with  the  same  quantity  of  bad  wine  as 
you  take  of  vinegar. 

VII.     To  render  vinegar  alkali. 

Saturate  any  quantity  of  vinegar  with  |»alt  of  tartar 

Vlil.     '1 0  7nake  in  one  hour,  good  rose  vinegar. 

Put  a  drachm  of  hare's  marrow  in  a  pint  of  wine,  and 
you  will  vee  the  con^equ<nce. 

IX.    Another  method  to  muke  such  vinegar  in  an  instants 

1.  Take  common  roses  and  unripe  blackberries,  which 
grow  in  hedges,  of  each  four  ounces.and  of  barberry  fruits 
one.  •  Dry  them  all  in  the  shade,  and  reduce  them  into 
subtile  powd -r. 

2.  Mix  two  drachms  of  this  powder  into  a  glass  of  white 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         147 

o.r  red  wine.  Then  let  it  settle  tn  the  bottom,   and  strain  it 
through  a  cloth.     It  will  be  a  very  fine  vinegar 

X-   2'o  ofieratt  the  samt  in  one  how's   time^  on  a  larger 
quuniuy  of  wine- 

1  Take  the  best  r\  e  flour,  which  dilute  in  the  strongest 
vinegar,  and  make  a  thin  round  cake  with  it  Bake  it 
quite  dry  m  the  o\  en  ;  then  pound  it  into  a  very  fine  pow- 
der, with  which  and  vinegar,  make  again  another  cake  as 
before,  and  bake  it  like  the  first.  Reiterate  this  operation 
three  or  four  times. 

2.  If  you  hang  the  last  made  cake. in  a  cask  of  wine 
quite  hot,  you  will  turn  the  whole  into  vinegar  in  less  than 
an  hour* 

XI.  The  recd/it  of  the  vinegar  called  the  Grand  Consta- 

ble's Vinegar. 

Take  one  pound  of  damask  raisins,  and  cure  them  of 
their  stones.  Put  thes.  raisins  in  a  glazed  jar,  with  two 
quarts  of  good  rose  vinegar.  Let  all  infuse  for  one  night 
over  hot  ashes,  then  boil  it  the  next  morning  four  of  five 
minutes  only.  Take  it  of  the  fire  and  let  ii  cool,  strain  it 
•through  a  cloth,  and  bottle  it  to  keep  for  use,  afterwards 
cork  the  bottle. 

XII.  ji  secret  to  increase  the  strength  and  sharpness  of 

the  vinegar. 

Boil  two  quarts  of  good  vinegar  to  the  evaporation  of  one; 
then  put  it  in  a  vessel,  and  set  it  in  the  sun  for  a  week. 
Now  if  you  mix  this  vinegar  among  six- times  as  lar^e  a 
quantity  of  bad  vinegar  in  a  small  cask,  it  will  not  only 
mend  it,  but  make  it  very  strong  and  agreeable. 

XIII.  Another  way  to  do  the  same' 

The  root  of  rubus  idaus,  the  leaves  of  wild  pear-tree, 
acorns  roasted  in  -he  fire,  the  liquor  in  which  vetches 
(peas)  have  been  boiled,  horse  chr.snut  powder  put  in  a 
bag,  8cc.  &c.  add  greatly  to  the  sharpness  of  vinegar. 

XiV,     The  secret  for  making  good  vinegar,  given  by  a 
vinegar- man  ui,  Paris. 

1.  Pound  coarsely  ,or  rather  bruise  onlv,one  ounce  of  long 
pepper,  as  much  gineer.and  the  same  quantity  u\  fi.refhra. 
Put  ihesein  aj^aiiover  the  fire  with  six  quarts  of  wii  i .  H;at 
this  only  to  whteness,  then  put  it  in  a  sniall  cask  and  set  it 
in  tb«'  sun.or  Mvera  bnker'soven  or  any  other  warui  place. 

2  No  A  and  then  add  nevv  wine  m  your  cisk, aft -^  r  having 
IM-eviously  heated  it  as  bciore,  and  let  that  quantity  be  no 


148         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

more  than  two  or  three  quarts  at  a  time.till  the  cask  is 
quite  full  —If  you  add  a  few  quarts  of  real  vinegar,  it  will 
be  the  stroTi^er-  Before  casking  the  wine,  let  it  rest  in  the 
pan  in  which  it  has  boiled  for  two  or  three  days.  A  glazed 
earthen  pan  is  preferable  to  a  copper  one  for  boiling  the 
wine  in  ;  for  during  the  three  days  infusion,  the  copper 
might  comnnunicate  a  dangerous  quality  of  verdigrease  to 
the  vinegar.  When  you  put  vinegar  to  meliorate  this 
coTiposition,  instead  of  wine,  you  must  take  care  to  heat  it 
over  the  fire.but  not  so  much  as  the  wine.  Let  the  cask  be 
well  rinsed  and  perfectly  clean.beforeputting  the  vinegar  in. 
3  The  wild  blackberries  which  grow  in  hedges,  are 
very  good  to  make  vinegar,  but  they  must  be  used  while 
red  ;  then  put  them  in  the  wine,  heat  this  to  whiteness,  and 
proceed  in  the  same  manner  as  you  do  vixih  fiyrethra^  gin- 
ger and  long  pepper.  The  dose  of  blackberries  is  not  de- 
termined ;  you  may  take  any  discretionable  .quantity  of 
them,and  the  vineg;u'  which  results  from  these  is  very  good. 

XV.     To  7nake  vinegar  with  water. 

Put  thirty  or  forty  pounds  of  wild  pears  in  a  large  tub, 
where  you  leave  them  for  three  days  to  ferment,  then 
pour  some  water  over  them,  and  repeat  this  every  day 
for  a  month.  At  the  end  of  which  it  will  make  a  very- 
good  vinegar. 

XVI.     To  make  good  vinegar -^vith  spoiled  wine. 

Put  a  large  kettle  full  of  spoiled  wine  on  the  fire,  boil 
and  skim  it.  When  wasted  of  a  third  put  it  in  a  cask, 
•wherein  there  is  some  very  good  vinegar.  Add  a  few 
handfuls  of  chervile  over  it  in  the  cask,  and  stop  the 
vessel  perfectly  close.  You  will  have  very  good  vinegar 
in  a  very  short  time. 

XVII.    ^  dry  fiortable  vinegar ^  or  the  vinaigre  en  poiidre. 

Wash  well  half  a  pound  of  white  tartar,  with  warm 
water  then  dry  it,  and  pulverise  it  as  fine  as  possible. 
Soak  that  powder  with  good  sharp  vinegar,  and  dry  it 
before  the  fire,  or  in  the  sun.  Resoak  it  again  as  before 
with  vinegar,  and  dry  as  above,  repeating  this  operation 
a  dozen  times.  By  these  means  you  shall  have  a  very 
good  and  sharp  powder,  which  turns  water  itself  instantly 
into  vinegar.  It  is  very  convenient  to  carry  in  the  pocket, 
especially  when  travelling. 

XVI II.     To  make  maple  vinegar. 

Expose  the  sap  to  the  sun  in  the  open  air,  and  it  will  in 
a  short  time  become  good  vinegar- 


CHAP.  XIII. 


SiECRETS  RELATIVE  TO  LIQUORS  AND  ESSENTIAL 
OILS. 

I.  To  make  as  good  wine  as  Spanish  wine- 

2.  fTIAKE  one  hundred  pounds  weight  of  dry  raisins, from 
JL  which  pick  off  the  stems,  and  open  the  fruit  with  a 
knife.  Put  these  in  a  large  wooden  tub,  very  clean.  Boil 
fifteen  gallons  of  rain  water,  purified  by  straining  through 
the  filtering  paper.  Pour  it  over  the  raisins,  and  cover  it 
to  preserve  the  heat  of  the  water.  Twenty- four  hours  after 
take  off  the  raisins,  which  will  be  swelled,  and  pound  them 
in  a  large  marble  mortar,  then  put  them  again  in  the  tub. 
Heat  fifteen  gallons  more  of  water,  which  pour  over  the 
other  with  the  raisins,  and  throw  in  twenty-five  pounds  of 
coarse  sugar.  Stir  all  well  and  cover  the  tub,  over  with 
two  blankets.  TJree  days  after,  by  a  cock  placed  at  the 
bottom  of  the  tub,  draw  out  all  the  liquor,  and  cask  it,  ad- 
ding six  quarts  of  brandy  to  it.  Press  the  ground  with  an 
apothecary's  press,  and  put  the  juice  in  the  cask,  with 
two  pounds  of  white  tartar  pounded  into  a  subtile  powder, 
in  order  to  promote  the  fermentation,  add  five  or  six 
ounces  of  polychrest  salt,  and  a  knot  of  garden  cress  seed, 
of  about  sixteen  or  eighteen  ounces  weight,  and  another 
knot  of  seven  pugils  of  alder  flowers.  These  knots  are  to 
be  suspended  by  a  thread  in  a  cask, 

2.  If  the  wine  look  too  yelLnv,  you  must  strain  it  through 
ajelly  bag,  in  which  you  shall  put  one  pound  of  sweet  al- 
monds, pounded  with  milk.  The  older  the  wine,  so  much 
the  better  it  is. 

3.  To  make  H  red,  dissolve  some  cochineal  pounded  in 
a  certahi  quantity  of  brandy,  along  with  a  little  alum  pow- 
der, in  order  to  draw  the  better  the  dye  of  the  cochineal, 
which  put  to  digest  on  a  sand  bath.  Till  the  brandy  has 
assumed  a  proper  degree  of  colour,  give  it  to  your  wine  in 
a  sufficient  degree. 

4.  it  is  preferable  to  clarify  the  sugar  well,  and  to  put 
it  in  the  cask  instead  of  the  tub. 

IL  To  make  the  rossolis. 

L  Boil  first  some  water,  and  let  it  cool  till  it  is  no  more 
than  lukewarm.  Take  next  all  the  sorts  of  fragrant  flow- 
ers the  season  can  afford,  well  picked,  keeping  none  but 
the  petals  of  each  flower.  Infuse  these,  separately,  in  some 


150         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

of  that  lukewarm  water,  to  extract  their  odorous  smell  or 
fragrancy.  Then  take  them  off,  and  drain  them.  Pour 
all  these  different  waters  in  one  pitcher,  and  to  every 
three  quarts  of  this  mixture,  put  a  quart  or  three  pints  of 
of  spirit  of  wine,  three  pounds  of  clarified  sugar,  one  quar- 
ter of  a  pint  of  essential  oil  of  aniseed,  and  an  equal  quan- 
tity of  essential  oil  of  cinnamon. 

2.  Should  your  rossolis  prove  too  sweet  and  slimy  in  the 
mouth,  add  half  a  pint,  or  more,  of  spirit  of  wine. 

3.  If  you  think  the  essential  oil  of  aniseed  should  whiten 
too  much  the  rossolis,  mix  it  with  the  spirit  of  wine,  before 
putting  it  in  the  mixed  waters, 

4.  If  you  want  to  increase  the  fragrancy,  add  a  few 
spoonfuls  of  essential  oils  of  different  flowers,  with  one  pu- 
gil  or  two  of  musk,  prepared  amber,  and  lump  sugar  pul- 
verized. Then  strain  the  rossolis  through  a  jelly  bag  to 
clarify  it,  bottle  and  stop  it  well.  Thus  may  it  keep  for 
ten  years  and  upwards. 

HI.     To  make  a  rossolis  ivhich  may  serve  as  ajoundation 
to  other  liquors. 

Put  three  quarts  of  brandy  and  one  or"  water,  in  a  glaz- 
ed earthen  pot.  Place  this  pot  on  a  charcoal  fire,  adding 
a  crust  of  bread  and  one  ounce  of  aniseed,  and  cover  it  till 
it  boils.  Then  uncover  it  and  let  it  boil  five  minutes,  and 
put  in  a  pound  of  sugar,  or  more  if  you  chuse.  Now  beat 
the  white  of  an  egg  with  a  little  of  your  liquor,  take  the  pot 
off  the  fire  and  throw  in  the  white  of  an  egg.  Let  this  thus 
rest  for  three  days. 

IV.    To  make  Eau  de  Franchipane. 

Put  half  a  pound  of  sugar,  in  a  quart  of  water,  add  a 
quarter  of  a  pound  of  jessamine  flowers  which  infuse  for 
some  time  ^When  you  find  theliq  lor  has  acquired  a  suf- 
ficient degree  of  fragrancy,  strain  it  through  a  jelly  bag, 
and  add  a  few  drops  of  essential  oil  of  ambergris- 

Y.  Orange Jlower  water  made  instantly. 

Put  one  handful  of  orange  flowers  in  a  quart  of  water, 
with  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  sugar.  Then  beat  the  liquor 
by  pout  ing  it  from  one  vessel  to  another,  till  the  water 
has  acquired  what  degi  ee  of  fragrancy  you  wish  it. 

VI   Muscadine  rose  wal^r. 

Put  two  handfuls  of  muscadine  roses  in  one  quart  of  wa- 
ter with  oht  quarter  of  a  poundof  sugar.  For  the  rest  pro- 
ceed as  before. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec.  151 

VII.      To  make  raspberry,  strawberry,  cherry,    or  other 
such  luaters. 

l.Takethe  ripest  raspberries, strain  them  througii  a  linen 
eloth  to  express  ail  the  juice  out  of  tliem.  Put  this  in  a 
glass  bottle  uncorked,  and  set  it  in  the  sun,  in  a  stove,  or 
before  the  fire  till  cleared  down.  Then  decant  it  gently 
into  another  bottle,  withojit  disturbing  ihejoeces  which  are 
at  the  bottom, 

2.  To  half  a  pint  of  this  juice,  put  a  quart  of  common 
water,  and  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  sugar.  Beat  all  togeth- 
ei*,  by  pouring  backwards  and  forwards,  from  one  vessel 
into  another,  strain  it  through  a  linen  cloth,  and  set  it  to  cool 
in  a  pail  of  ice-  It  is  a  fine  cooling  draught  in  the  summer. 

3.  Strawberriesj  cherries,  2cc.  are  done  in  the  same  man- 
ner. 

VIII.    Lemonade  water  at  a  cheap  rate. 

Dissolve  half  a  pound  of  sugar  in  a  quart  of  water ;  rasp 
over  it  the  yellow  part  of  one,  two,  or  three  lemons,  as  you 
like,  and  mix  a  few  drops  of  essential  oil  of  sulphur  in  the 
liquor.  Then  cut  three  or  four  slices  of  lemon  in  the  bowl, 
when  you  put  the  liquor  in  it* 

IX.    ,4pricoi  water. 

Take  a  dozen  of  apricots,  very  ripe.  Peel  and  stone 
them.  Boil  a  quart  of  water,  then  take  it  off  from  the  fire 
and  throw  in  your  apricots.  Half  an  hour  after  put  in  a 
quarter  of  a  pound  of  lump  sugar,  which  being  dissolved, 
strain  all  through  a  cloth,  and  put  it  to  cool  in  i(fe  as  the 
others. 

X.  To  make  exceeding  good  lemonade- 

On  a  quart  of  water  put  the  juice  of  three  lemons,  or 
two  only  if  they  be  verv  juicv.  Add  seven  or  eight  zests  of 
the'r.  besides,  withone  quarter  of  a  pound  of  sugar-  When 
the  sugar  is  d  ssolved,  strain  the  liquor,  and  cool  it  in  ice 
as  before  mentioned- 

XI.  To  make  orangeade  the  same  way-- 

You  proceed  with  vour  oranges  as  with  the  lemons.  If 
these  be  good,  but  little  juicy,  you  must  squt-ezt*  three  or 
four  oranges,  with  the  addition  of  eight  or  t'  n  zest?.  If  you. 
love  odour,  you  may  add  some  musk,  and  prepared  amber 


132         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 
XII.  To  make  a  cooling  cinnamon  boater. 

Boil  one  quart  of  water  in  a  ^lass,  vessel  before  the  fire 
Take  it  off,  and  put  in  two  or  three  cloves,  and  about  half 
an  ounce  of  whole  cinnamon.  Stop  well  the  bottle,  and 
when  the  water  is  cold  put  half  a  pint  only  of  it  in  two 
quarts  of  water  with  sugar  to  your  palate,  a'  quarter  of  a 
pound  is  the  proper  quantity.  Then  cool  it  as  usual  in 
ice,  before  serving. 

Xril.  To  7nak€  coriander  water: 

Take  a  handful  of  coriander,  which  shell,  and  put  in  a 
quart  of  water  half  cooled  again,  after  having  boiled  Add 
one  quarter  of  a  pound  of  sugar,  and  when  the  water  has 
acquired  a  sufficient  degree  of  taste,  strain,  cool,  and  serve 
i x,  as  uSUfsi* 

XIV.  ^jiiseed  ivater. 

The  aniseed  water  is  made  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
coriander  water.^ 

XV.  Citron  water. 
• 

Take  a  citron  which  strip  of  its  peel,  and  cut  in  slices 
crossways.  Put  these  slices  in  a  quart  of  water  with  a 
quarter  of  a  pound  of  sugar.  Beat  well  this  water  by 
pouring  it  backwards  and  forwards  from  one  vessel  into 
another,  and  when  it  has  a  sufficient  taste  of  the  citron, 
strain  it,  Sec.  ■^ 

XVI.     Cinnamon  water. 

Bruise  a  pound  of  the  finest  cinnamon,  and  put  to  infuse 
for  twentv-four  hours  in  four  pounds  of  distilled  rose  wa- 
ter, with  half  a  pound  or  a  pint  of  white  wine,  which  put 
all  together  during  that  time  in  a  glass  matrass  on  warm 
ashes'^  and  stop  well  the  vessel,  so  that  it  breathe  no  air. 
At  the  end  of  twenty-four  hours  increase  the  fire  so  as  to 
procure  a  distillation,  bv  putting  the  matrass  in  the  bal- 
neum mari<e,  and  keep  this  liquor  in  bottles  well  stopped- 

XVII.   To  make  cedrat  water. 

Have  a  dozen  of  fine  lemons,  which  split  in  two  parts 
Take  out  all  the  kernels,  and  keep  nothing  but  the  pulp 
wherein  the  juice  is  contained.  Put  them  in  a  new  glazed 
earthen  pan.   Boil  one  pound  of  sugar  to  \.\\t plume  degree, 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         153 

then  pour  it  in  the  pot  over  the  lemons.  Set  this  on  a 
good  charcoal  fire,  and  boil  it  till  the  sugar  comes  to  the 
fiearl  degree,  then  bottle  it- 

XVIII.    Junifier  water. 

Put  two  pounds  of  juniper  berries  with  two  quarts  .of 
brandy  in  a  stone  bottle,  which  stop  well  and  place  on  hot 
ashes  to  infuse  for  twenty  four  hours.  Strain  the  liquor, 
an(>add  one  pound  of  sugar,  half  an  ounce  of  cinnamon, 
as  much  cloves,  a  preserved  half  peel  of  a  lemon,  and  two 
pugils  of  aniseed.  Put  these  in  the  bottle,  stop  it  well,  and 
place  it  at  two  or  three  different  times  in  a  baker's  oven, 
after  the  bread  is  out,  and  when  you  may  bear  your  hand 
in  it  without  burning- 

XiX.     To  make  good  hydromel,  otherwise  metheglin.    . 

Take  honey  and  water,  equal  q.iantities  in  weight* 
Boil  them  together  and  skim  the  honey.  When  done 
sufficiently  you  may  know  by  putting  an  egg  in,  which  must 
swim  at  top.  Pour  then  the  liquor  in  a  cask  where  there 
has  been  spirit  of  wine,  or  good  brandy,  well  soaked  with 
either,  and  still  wet  with  the  spirit,  and  add  two  or  three 
grains  of  ambergris.  Stop  well  the  cask,  and  set  it  in  the 
sun  during  the  dog  days.  When  it  begins  to  ferment,  un 
stop  the  cask  to  let  the  scum  out,  which  arises  like  thai  of 
new  wine.  During  that  time  you  must  not  stir  the  cask. 
When  the  first  fire  of  the  fermentation  has  subsided,  stop 
the  cask  again,  and  the  hydromel  is  fit  tor  keeping. 

J\ote.  Instead  of  the  sun,  you  may  in  other  seasons,  make 
use  of  the  top  of  a  baker's  oven  a  stove  or  a  hot-house. 

XX.     A  light  and  delicate  rossolis,  known  under  the  de- 
nomination o/'populo. 

1.  Boil  three  quarts  of  water,  then  let  them  cool  again. 
Add  one  quart  ot  spirit  of  wine,  one  of  clarified  sugar,  half 
a  glass  of  essential  oil  of  cinnamon,  and  a  very  little  of 
musk  and  ambergris. 

2,  Observe  the  sugar  should  not  be  boiled  too  much  in 
claritying,  for  fear  it  should  crystalize  when  in  the  rossolis 
and  cause  clouds  in  it  Observe  also  to  boil  the  water 
first,  as  prescribed  before  using  it,  to  prevent  the  cor- 
rupting ot  the  liquor;  which  would  infalliably  be  the  case 
were  you  to  employ  it  unboiled. 

XXI.    Angelic  water. 

3;  Take  half  an  ounce  of  angelic,  as  much  cinnamon,  st- 
0  2 


154         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  gcc. 

quarter  part  of  cloves,  the  same  quantity  of  mace,  of  co- 
riander, add  of  green  anjse  seed,  with  half  an  ounce  of 
cedar  wood.  Bruise  all  these  ingredients  in  a  nDortar,  and 
and  set  them  to  infuse  for  twelve  hours,  with  two  quarts 
of  genuine  brandy,  in  a  matrass  or  retort.  Then  distil 
the  liquor  by  balneum  marice, 

2.  Two  or  three  ounces  only  of  this  essential  spirit  in  two 
quarts  of  brandy,  with  the  addition  of  a  very  small  quan- 
tity of  musk  and  ambergris,  will  make  a  very  agreeable 
liquor-  • 

XXII.     T/ie  cinnamon  water. 

In  three  quarts  of  once  boiled  water,  and  then  cooled 
again  put  half  a  pint  of  essential  spirit  of  cinnamon,  dis- 
tilled like  that  of  anise-seed.  Add  three  pints  of  spirit  of 
-wine,  and  one  of  clarified  sugar.  Strain  all  through  the 
jelly  bag,  Sec.  5cc. 

XXII I.  Stro7ig  anise-seed  ivater,  or  animated  brandy. 

Put  half  a  pint  of  essential  spirit  of  anise-seed  into  three 
quarts  ot  the  best  genuine  brandy,  with  one  of  boiled 
-water.  If  you  want  it  swf;et,  add  clarified  sugar.  Strain 
all  through  the  jelly  bag,  &c.  &c. 

XXIV.     To  make  white  R^tasia,  called  otherwise  Eaude- 
Noaiu,  or  kernel  wattv. 

Pound  three  quarters  of  a  pound  of  cherry-stones,  wood 
and  kernels,  or  almonds  in  a  stone  pitcher,  with  twelve 
quarts  of  brandy.  Add  one  drachm  of  cinnamon,  a  dozen 
of  cloves,  two  pugils  of  coriander,  and  three  pounds  and  a 
half  of  sugar.  Let  all  these  infuse  together,  till  sufficient- 
ly tasty,  and  ready  to  strain,  add  four  quarts  of  water  that 
has  been  boiled  and  is  cool  again.  Then  run  it  through  the 
jelly-bag,  and  next  through  the  filtering  paper  ;  bottle 
and  stop  it  for  use. 

XXV.    An  exceeding  good  Ratasia. 

On  a  quart  of  E:ood  brandy  put  half  a  pint  of  cherry 
juice,  as  much  of  currants,  and  the  same  of  raspberries. 
Add  a  few  cloves,  a  p;;gil  of  white  pepper  in  grain,  two  of 
green  coriander,  and  a  stick  or  two  of  cinnamon.  Then 
pound  the  stoties  of  nhe  cherries,  and  put  theni  in,  wood 
and  all  together  Add  a  lew  kernels  of  apricots,  thirty 
or  forty  are  sufficitnt.  Stop  well  the  pitcher,  which  must 
be  a  new  one,  a«ter  all  these  ingredients  are  in,  let  the 
whole  infuse  a  couple  of  months  in  the  shade,  shaking 
twice  or  thrice  during  that  space  of  time,  at  the  end  of 


1 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  See.         155 

which  run  the  liquor  through  the  flannel  bag,  and  next 
through  the  filtering  paper,  then  bottle  and  stop  it  well 
for  use. 

Mote.  In  increasing  in  due  proportion  the  quantity  (^f 
the  brandy,  and  the  doses  of  each  of  the  ingredients  pre- 
scribed, you  may  make  what  quantity  you  like  ot  this  Ha- 
tasia- 

XXVI.  A  smelling  water, 

1.  Put  in  any  quantity  of  brandy,  benjamin,  and  storax 
Galaujite,  equal  parts  ;  a  little  cloves  and  mace,  cc  arsely 
brujsed-  Set  this  digesting  for  five  or  six  days  on  wurm 
ashes.  When  the  liquor  is  tinged  of  a  fine  red,  decant  it 
gently  from  the  residue-  in  a  glass  bottle,  and  throw  in  a 
Jew  graint)  of  mubk,  before  stojjping  it- 

2.  Three  drops  of  this  smeUing  water  in  a  common  glass 
tumbler  of  water,  give  it  a  very  agreeable  fragrance. 

3.  With  the  ground,  or  residue,  you  may  make  lozen- 
ges, in  adding  a  little  gum-adragrant  to  bind  them- 

XXVII-  Hoiv  to  make  a  Sherbet,  a  Ferdan  species  of 
FuHch- 

There  are  various  ways  of  making  Sherbet.  Some 
make  punch  here  with  rum  only,  others  with  brandy  ; 
others  with  arrach,  and  others  with  shrub-  Some  will 
have  it  mixed  with  two  of  these  spirits,  and  others  will 
make  it  with  white  wine-  Some  put  acds,  olhers  do  not; 
and  among  the  acids  son.e  chuse  tartar  o.nly,  t  thers  le- 
mons, and  others  Seville  oranges  ;  some  squeeze  a  little 
of  each  of  these  two  last  tart  fruits  together  in  the  same 
bowl  of  punch 

It  is  the  same  with  respect  to  sherbet,  the  famous  Per- 
sian drink.  They  make  it  with  the  various  syrups  tK- 
Iracted  from  all  the  odoriferous  flowers  ;  and  the  dcse  is 
one  part  of  such  a  syrup  to  ten  parts  of  any  spirituous  li- 
quor- Or  again,  they  make  a  weak  rossolis,  with  the 
zests  of  oranges  and  lemons  boiled  together  in  water  with 
sugar.  Some  will  make  it  with  the  essential  spirit  of 
musk  and  amber  only,  put  in  boiling  water  with  sugar  as 
we  do  our  punch. 

XXVIII.  To  make  Vin  des-Dieux- 

Peel  two  large  lemons  and  cut  them  in  slices  ;  do  the 
same  with  two  large  golden  pipins.  Put  all  a  soaking  in 
a  pan  with  a  pint  of  good  burgundy,  three  quarters  of  a 
pound  of  lump  sugar  in  powoer,  six  cloves  and  naif  a  gill  of 
orange  flower  water.  Cover  the  pan,  and  keep  it  thus 
for  five  or  six  hours,  then  strain  the  liquor  through  the 


156         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c. 

flannel  bag.    You  may  musk  and  amber  it  like  the  /i2//i- 
ocras  if  you  will. 

XXIX.  Burnt  wine. 

Put  a  quart  of  good  Burgundy  in  an  open  pan,  with  a 
pound  of  sugar,  two  leaves  of  »nace,  a  little  long  pepper, 
a  dozen  of  cloves,  two  or  thr-e  tops  of  rosemary  branches, 
and  two  bay  leaves.  Place  that  in  the  middle  ot  wheel- 
fire  of  blasting  charcoal-  When  the  wine  begins  to  be  hot, 
set  the  fire  to  it  with  a  bit  of  paper,  and  thus  let  it  kindle 
and  blaze  till  it  goes  out  of  itself.  This  wine  is  drank  quite 
hot,  and  it  is  an  admirable  drink,especialiy  when  the  wea- 
ther is  very  cold. 

XXX.    To  imitate  muscat  nvine- 

In  a  cask  of  new  white  wine  (that  is  to  say,  before  it  has 
worked)  introduce  by  the  bung-hole,  five  or  six  tops  of  al- 
der fl  uvers  dried  up-  Let  these  flowers  hang  by  a  string, 
antJ  eigiht  or  ten  days  after  take  them  out  again-  You 
will  obtain  a  wine  which  will  not  differ  from  muscat. 

XXXI.  A  violet  ivater- 

Infuse  some  violets  in  cold  brandy.  When  these  have 
lost  their  colour,  take  them  out,  and  put  in  new  ones-  Re- 
peat this  till  you  are  satisfied  with  your  tincture.  When 
you  take  the  violets  out,  you  must  press  them  gently  ; 
then  svveeten  that  brandy  according  to  discretit-n  ;  and,  if 
you  choose,  you  may  add  again  a  htcle  orange-flowers  for 
the  sake  ot  the  odour- 

XXXII.  To  make  a  clear  and  ivhite  hypocras. 

To  every  one  pint  of  claret  add  eight  ounces  of  sugar, 
and  nine,  if  it  be  white  wine  ;  half  a  lemon,  four  cloves,  a 
little  cinnamon,  wh  ch  should  be  double  the  quantity  of 
cloveS)  three  grains  of  pepper,  four  of  coriander,  a  little 
bit  of  ginger,  and  eight  al  uondscut  in  bits.  Let  the  whole 
be  bruised  and  put  into  a  pan,  with  the  wine  poured  over 
h ;  stir,  infuse  one  hour  and  strain  through  the  flannel  bag* 

XXXIII.  To  make  the  true  Eau-de-Noiau- 

Pound  ore  pound  of  apricot  kernels,  without  reducing 
them  into  oil-  Then  bruise  another  pound  of  cherry-stones, 
•wood,  and  kernels  all  together.  Put  all  in  a  pitcher  of 
five  or  six  gallons,  in  which  put  onlv  three  and  a  half,  or 
four  gallons  of  the  best  brandy,  and  two  of  water  ;  five 
pounds  of  sugar  ;  to  every  one  quart  of  liquor,  add  tw* 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  157 

grains  of  white  pepper,  and  eight  drachms  of'  cinnamon, 
both  bruised.  Let  all  infuse  forty- eight  hours,  and  then 
strain  the  liquor  through  tht  flannel  bag. 

XXXIV.'  .dn  admirable  oil  of  sugar. 

Rinse  a  matrass  "with  vinegar,  put  in  it  some  dry  powder 
sugar,  or  lump  sugar  pulverised.  Keep  that  matrass  on 
hot  ashes,  turning  and  whirlirg  it  round  aiid  flat  ways,  by 
means  of  the  neck  of  the  matrass  which  )  ou  hold  in  ycur 
hands  with  a  cloth,  and  stop  it  not.  The  effV  ct  is  such,  the 
heat  occasions  the  vapours  to  rise  about  the  matrass, 
which  by  turning  and  whirling  it,  as  above  menlioi.t'd, 
makes  the  sugar  which  is  in  it  resoak  and  imbibe  theai 
again.  This  operation  dissolves  the  sugar,  and  retluces  it 
into  a  sort  of  oil. 

XXXV.  An  admirable  essence  of  red  sugar. 

1.  Pulverise  five  pounds  of  the  best  double  refined,  or 
royal  sugar  ;  which  done,  put  along  with  eight  ounces  of 
brandy  in  a  large  matrass,  over  a  sand  bath.  Distil  some 
part  of  this  first,  on  a  slow  fire,  to  avoid  burning  the  sugar. 
Re-put  the  distilled  liquor  over  the  sugar  again  in  tht  mat- 
rass. Continue  to  distil  and  pour  the  liquor  again  in  the 
matrass  over  the  sugar,  till  the  sugar  becomes  red,  which 
^vill  happen  at  the  seventh  or  eighth  iteration  of  distillation. 

2  Now  distil  out  all  the  brandy,  and  on  the  remaiiiing 
sugar  pour  common  water,  which  distil"  also,  then  add 
some  more,  continuing  so  to  do  till  you  have  drawn  out  all 
the  tincture  of  the  red  sugar. 

3.  Take  next  all  these  red  waters,  and  run  them  through 
the  filtering  paper,  then  distil  the  phlegm  on  a  gentle  fire 
to  siccity  (or  dryness).  Put  again  this  distilled  plegm  on 
the  res  due.  Which  place  all  together  in  a  cold  cellar. 
You  will  find  some  red  crystals,  which  pick  up,  and  v\  hen 
dry,  pulverise  ;  then  pour  brandy  over  to  dissolve.  This 
admirable  quintessence  of  sugar  has  the  virtue  of  pre- 
serving the  radical  moistness  of  the  inside,  and  our  health. 

XXXVI.  Another  oil  of  sugar,  excessively  good. 

Cut  oflF  the  end  of  a  large  lemon,  of  which  squeeze  out 
theju  ce  ;  then  fill  it  with  fine  sugar,  and  apply  to  it 
again  the  cut-ofF  pirce.  Put  it  in  a  clean  glaztd  pij  kin, 
vhich  pUce  to  boil  a  quarter  ot  an  hour  ;  put  it  in  a  bot- 
tle ;  it  will  never  congeal,  and  that  dl  is  good  for  the  sto- 
mach, colds,  catarrhs,  6cc.  The  dose  is  one  table  spoon- 
ful at  a  time' 


158  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 


XXX VII.     How  to  extract  the  essence  oil  from  any 
Jlonver' 

Take  any  flower  you  like,  which  stratify  with  common 
sea  salt  in  a  clean  earthen  glazed  pot.  When  thus  filled 
to  the  top,  Cover  it  well,  and  carry  it  to  the  cellar.  Forty 
days  after  put  a  crape  over  a  pan,  and  empty  all  on  it  to 
strain  the  essence  from  the  flowers  by  pressure  Bottle 
that  essence,  and  expose  it  four  or  five  weeks  in  the  sun, 
and  dew  of  the  evening  to  purify.  One  single  drop  of  that 
essence  is  enough  to  scent  a  whole  quart  of  liquor, 

XXXVin.  Essence  ofjessaminey  rosesy  and  other  Jloivcrs- 

1.  Take  roses  of  a  good  colour,  and  fresh  gathered. 
Pick  all  the  leaves,  which  expand  in  the  shade  on  a  pa- 
per. For  two  or  three  days,  during;  which  you  are  to 
leave  them  there,asperse  them,morning  and  evening.with 
rose  water,  stirring  them  each  time. 

2  When  this  hath  been  performed,  put  them  in  a  glass, 
or  varnished  vessel,  which  stop  as  perfectly  as  you  can, 
and  place  in  the  hottest  horse-dung,  which  renew  evtry 
five  days.  A  fortnight  after  this,  place  the  vessel  in  a  dal- 
neo  marice,  adapting  a  bolt-head  to  rt  n.id  a  receiver,  and 
lute  all  v,'ell.  Distil  the  water,  on  which  you  observe  the 
essence  swimming.  This  you  must  d'vide  by  means  of  a 
wick,  or  filtering  paper.  Put  the  essence  in  a  glass  phial 
well  stopped. 

XXXIX.   The  oil  of  cinnamon. 

Bruise  first  the  cinnamon  coarsely  in  a  mortar  and  put 
it  a  soaking  in  waer.in  which  add  a  little  pounded  tartar, 
with  a  table  srj';onful  or  two  ot  honev.  E.ght  or  ten  days 
affer  pi  ice  the  vessel  mi  a  sand  bath,  and  you  will  obtain 
by  distillation,  an  excellent  oil  of  cinnamon. 

XL.  To  draw  the  essential  oil  of  roses. 

Pound  in  a  mortar  thirty  pounds  of  Idves  of  roses  with 
three  pounds  ol  common  decrepitated  s 'It  ;  then  put  all 
in  a  pot  well  luted,  which  set  \n  a  cool  place.  Fifteen  or 
eighteen  days  after,  moisten  well  this  matter  with  com- 
mon vvater,  stirring  it  till  reduced  into  a  pap.  Then  put  it 
in  an  alemb  c  with  its*  rt-frigentor.  Make  a  smart  fire, 
which  will  se  j(l  first  the  wate*', next  the  oil,  susceptible  of 
congealing  by  cold,  and  liquifying  again  by  heat.    One 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  159 

drop  cf  that  oil  gives  more  smell  a  hundred  times  than 
the  distilled  water  from  the  same  roses. 

XLI.    An  essence  of  jessamine. 

Dissolve  over  the  fire,  one  quartar  of  a  pound  of  sugar 
in  a  quarter  of  a  pmt  ot  com  it. on  water.  After  having 
skimmed  it,  boil  it  to  a  perfect  evaporation  ;  then  take  it 
off  the  fire,  and  fling  two  handfuls  of  jtssamine  flowers  in 
it.  Cover  the  vessel,  and  two  hours  after,  strain  the  es- 
sence, and  bottle  it.  It  is  an  agreeable  odour.  The  dose  is 
one  drop  only,  or  two  per  pint  oi  liquors. 

XLII.    Essense  of  ambergris, 

.  Set  to  infuse,  half  a  dozen  of  lemon  peels  in  three  half 
pints  of  spirit  of  wine,  set  them  thus  in  a  cold  place  for  two 
days,  in  a  vessel  well  stopped.  After  that  time  take  off -he 
peels,  which  squeeze  through  a  linen,  and  put  as  many 
fresh  ones  in  the  stead,  which  reiterate  three  different 
times.  When  you  take  of  the  last  peels,grind  three  t^rains 
of  ambergris  and  one  of  musk,  which  put  with  the  spin'  of 
wine  in  a  matrass  over  a  gentle  fire,  till  the  amber  is  per- 
fectly dissolved.  There  will  fall  some  ground  at  the  bottom 
of  the  matrass,  decant  the  clear  part  from  it  m  a  bottle, 
and  keep  it  for  use. 

A'ote.  This  essence  might  be  made  with  the  burning 
spirit  of  roses. 

XLIII.    Essense  o/^capon  and  other  fowls. 

Cure  the  inside  of  any  fowl,  by  taking  away  all  the  en- 
trails. Fill  it  with  lump  sugar,  pulverise  and  mixed  with 
four  ounces  of  damask  raisins,  perfectly  stoned.  Sew  the 
fowl  up  again,  and  put  it  in  a  pipkin,  which  cover  care- 
fully with  its  lid,  and  lute  all  round  with  paste.  Place  this 
pot  in  an  oven,  when  the  bread  goes  in.  and  take  it  cut 
along  with  it.  Then  uncover  it,  and  strain  the  liquor 
through  a  cloth,  with  expression  of  the  animal.  This  es- 
sence in  the  greatest  r^^storative  for  old  or  ^  nervared  peo- 
ple; likewise  to  h  sten  the  recovery  of  health  a'.ter  long 
ill  less.  Take  two  large  table  spocnluls  early  in  ihe  morn- 
ing fasting,  and  as  nmch  at  night  after  j»upper. 

XLIV.     Virginal  milk. 

1.  Take  one  ounce  and  a  half  of  benjamin  ;  storax  as 
mixh,  and  one  ot  eastern  whitt*  balm.  Put  all  in  a  thick 
glass  phiai,  with  three  half  pmts  ot  spirit  of  wine,  which 


160         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

pour  over.    Put  this  in  digestion  over  hot  ashes,  till  the 
spirit  of  wine  appears  of  a  fiiie  red  colour. 

2.  To  use  it,  put  four  drops  in  half  a  pi.  t  of  water,  and 
it  instantly  turns  as  white  as  milk- 

3.  Exteriorly  used,  it  whitens  the  skin,  if  you  wash  with 
it ;  it  has  likewise  the  same  effect  upon  teeth,  by  rinsing 
the  mouth  and  rubbing  them  with  it.  Interiorly  taken,  it 
cures  the  heats  and  burning  of  the  extinction  of  the  voice. 

XLV.    Mow  to  colour  any  sort  of  liquor. 

Bruise  into  a  coarse  powder  some  santalum  rubrum, 
■which  put  into  a  bottle  with  a  discretionable  quantity  of 
spirit  of  wine  poured  over  it.  In  five  or  six  hours  time  the 
tincture  will  be  very  high  ;  therefore  it  will  be  fit  to  give 
a  colour  to  any  liquor  you  chuse,  by  pouring  some  of  it  into 
the  liquor,  and  shaking  it  till  you  find  it  is  coloured  to 
your  liking. 

XLVI.  A  ladies  fine  rouge  not  hurtful  to  their  skin  like 
other  rouges,  wherein  there  always  enters  a  mixture  of 
lead  or  quicksilver. 

The  above  preparation  of  santalum  rubru?7i,  modified 
with  common  water  to  take  off  the  strength  of  the  spirit 
of  wine  and  an  addition  of  one  clov*^,  a  little  civet,  a  little 
cinnamon,  and  the  bulk  of  a  filbert  of  alum,  per  quarter 
of  a  pint  of  liquor,  with  safety. 

XLVII.    A  fine  smelling  watery  at  a  small  ex/ience. 

Take  two  quarts  of  rose-water  drawn  by  distillation  in 
balneo  marice,  which  put  in  a  large  bottle  filled  with  fresh 
rose  leaves  Stop  this  bottle  well  with  a  cork  and  wax, 
then  expose  it  to  the  sun,  for  a  month,  or  six  weeks;  after- 
wards decant  the  liquor  into  another  bottle,  in  which,  for 
every  one  quart  of  liquor,  add  two  grains  weight  of  orien- 
tal musk,  and  cork  it  well.  This  water  is  of  a  charming 
fragrancy,  and  lasts  a  great  while-  It  communicates  the 
odour  to  them  you  touch  after  having  rubbed  your  hands 
with  it. 

XLVIII.     To  make  an  imitation  ofco^ee. 

1.  Take  any  quantity  of  horse  beans,  which  put  into  a 
pan  to  roast  over  the  fire,  till  they  begin  to  blacken.  Then 
take  a  little  honey  with  the  point  of  a  knife  and  put  it 
among. the  beans.turningthemwell  with  it.till  soaked  in  the 
beanS,  repeating  the  same  process  till  they  are  of  a  deep 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec.  161 

brown  ehesnut  colour.  Now  take  them  from  the  fire,  and 
■while  they  are  quite  burning  hot,  put  for  every  large  han- 
fal  of  beans,  half  an  ounce  of  casia  mundata,  with  which 
imbibe  them  well  l3y  stirring  and  shaking  in  the  pan  as 
much  as  you  can,  and  they  are  done. 

2.  These  grind  in  the  mill  and  make  coffee  of,  it  will 
have  the  same  taste  and  flavour  as  the  true  Moca-coffee, 
so  as  not  to  be  distinguished  from  it  by  the  greatest  con- 
noisseurs. 

J^oce.  This  coffee  may  be  drank  either  thick  or  clear, 
with  sugar  as  usual. 

XLIX.    Another  ivay- 

Take  a  quart  of  rye,  which  clean  and  roast  as  the  beans 
in  a  pan  till  of  a  fine  brown,  then  grind  it.  To  use  it,  mix 
it  half  and  half  with  the  true  coffee,  and  make  it  asusualp 
Ijy  putting  it  in  boiling  water  and  lettmg  it  boil  five  min- 
utes. 

JSlote-  This  coffee  is  much  used  among  the  people  of 
quality,  who  prefer  it  to  strengthen  the  stomach,  espe- 
cially when  taken  before  going  to  bed. 

L.    Directi&nsfor  prefiaring  the  true  coffct' 

1.  True  coffee  must  be  roasted  in  an  iron  pan,  or  in  a 
glazed  earthen  pan,  over  a  clear  charcoal  fire  without 
flames.  Turn  it  with  a  stick  while  it  is  on  the  fire,  to  make 
each  grain  roast  more  regularly  and  equally.  It  is  well 
roasted  when  it  is  all  of  a  dark,  brown. 

2.  There  is  a  much  better  method  of  roasting  it,  by 
means  of  a  certain  iron  drum  made  in  the  form  of  a  ladies 
muff-box,  with  a  handle  at  one  end,  an  iron  peg  at  the 
other,  and  a  latch  door  in  the  middle.  By  this  door  you 
introduce  the  coffee,  which  y  lU  fasten  in  it  by  n:eans  (A  a 
latch  Then  propping  it  on  the  top  of  a  chafingdish  made 
on  purpose,  in  which  there  is  a  charcoal  fire,  you  roast  the 
coffee  by  turnmg  the  drum  over  it  with  the  above  mention- 
ed handle  ;  and  thus  the  coffee  roasts  in  the  most  regular 
manner. 

3.  When  the  coffee  is  roasted,  grind  it,  keep  it  closely 
confined  in  leaden  boxes,  with  a  screwing  lid.  However  it 
is  still  much  preferable  to  grind  no  more  at  a  time  than 
what  one  wants  to  use  at  once. 

4.  The  liquor  is  made  by  putting  one  ounce  of  that 
powder  to  three  quarters  of  a  pint  of  boihng  water  to 
make  three  full  dishes.  And,  after  an  infusion  of  ten 
minutes,  during  which  it  is  keptboiling,  the  coffee  is  fit  for 
drinking. 

P 


162         SECRETS  IN  ARTS.  TRADES.  &c. 


hi.    J!  receipt  Jor  making  chocolate- 

1.  Dissolve  in  a  copper  pan  soniepMlverised  royal  lump 
suj^ar,  with  a  little  orange  water.  When  the  sugar  is 
turned  into  a  syrup  throw  in  the  coco?^,  tlie  vanellre  the 
cinnamon,  Mexican  pepper,  and  cloves,  all,  and  every  of 
■which  ought  to  have  been  first  reduced  into  an  innpalpa- 
ble  powder.  Stir  all  well  while  it  boils  ;  and  -when  you 
judge  it  to  be  sufficientlv  done,  pour  the  paste  on  a  very 
smooth  and  polished  table,  that  you  may  roll  it,  and  give  it 
whatever  form  and  shape  you  like. 

2.  To  prepare  it  with  either  milk  or  water,  in  which, 
■when  boiling  hot,  you  first  dissolve  it,  then,  with  a  box- 
mill,  with  a  long  handle,  you  mill  it  to  froth  in  the  pot 
in  which  it  is  making,  and  pour  it  afterwards  in  cups  tc 
drink. 


[     163    ] 


CHAP.  XIV. 

SECRETS  RELATIVE  TO  THE  CONFECTIONARY 
BUSINESS. 


I.     Raafiberry   syrup. 

MASH  the  raspberries,  and  dilute  them  v/ith  a  mode- 
rate addition  of  water,  then  strain  tliem  to  divide  the 
thick  from  the  clear  part.  To  every  quart  of  this  cleai' 
liquor  put  one  pound  of  lump  sugar  pulverised,  boil  all 
together  on  the  fire  in  the  preserving  pan.  Skim  and  cla- 
rity carefully  the  sugar  with  the  white  of  an  egg  beaten  in 
water.  When  the  syrup  is  come  to  its  right  degree,  (whjch 
you  may  know  by  throwing  a  drop  of  it  in  a  glass  of  water, 
if  the  drop  sinks  whole  to  the  bottom,and  fixes  itself  there 
without  running  out  along  with  the  water,  when  you  throw 
Ihis  away)  take  it  off  the  fire,  and  let  it  cool  for  bottling. 

IT.    apricot  syrufi' 

Cut  in  small  bits  six  pounds  of  very  ripe  apricots,  which 
boil  in  a  gallon  of  water  till  they  are  reduced  to  a  pulp. 
Let  them  cool,  then  squeeze  them  through  a  sieve.  Now 
strain  again  this  liquor  through  the  jelly-bag,  and  put  it  in 
the  preserving  pan  on  the  fire,  with  four  pounds  of  sugar. 
Skim,  clarify,  and  boil  the  whole  to  a  syrup,  which  try  as 
above  directed  in  a  glass  of  water  ;  and,  when  done,  let  it 
cool,  and  bottle  it  to  keep  for  use. 

III.     The  verjus  syrup. 

Have  verjus  in  grapes,  which  pick  out  of  its  stalks,  and 
pound  in  a  marble  mortar.  Strain  it  through  a  sieve  tir.^t. 
then  through  a  jelly  bag  to  get  it  finer.  To  two  quarts  of 
this  juice,  put  into  a  preserving  pan,  add  four  pounds  of 
sugar,  and  boil  it  according  to  art  to  a  syrup. 

IV.    yl  general  manner  of  making  syrups,  applicable  Up 
almost  all  sorts  of  fruits,  especially  currants. 

1  Pick  a  quantity  of  red  currants  of  all  their  stalks,  and 
squeeze  them  through  a  sieve  in  a  commodious  vessel. 
Carry  this  vessel  to  the  cellar,  placing  it  on  a  stool,  or  any 
suspending  shelf  from  the  ground  ;  and,  after  the  juice 


164         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

shall  have  worked  three  or  four  days,  strain  it  tlirftugh  a 
sieve  in  another  vessel,  then  through  the  flannel  bag  to  get 
it  as  clear  as  possible. 

2.  Now  for  every  tv;o  quarts  of  such  liquor,  have  four 
pounds  of  sugar,  which  put  in  a  preserving  pan,  and  melt 
over  Uie  fire,  \mh  a  little  common  water  to  help  the  dis- 
solution of  it.  Boil  it  thus  to  the  consistence  of  caramel, 
without  burnhif^  it ;  and,  when  at  that  degree,  pour 
through  the  holes  of  the  skimmer  the  measured  liquor, 
which  m.ust  boil  also  to  a  periect  syrup  according  to  the 
afore- prescribed  trials.  All  this  being  well  executed,  take 
it  off,  let  it  cool,  and  bottle  it  for  use. 

jYute.  All  sorts  of  syrups,  such  as  cherries,  raspberries, 
and  others,  may  be  made  in  the  same  manner,  with  this 
difference  only,  that  they  are  not  to  be  put  to  work  in  the 
cellar,  but  employed  directly  as  soon  as  the  juice  is 
squeezed  out  of  the  fruits. 

V.  To  make  liquid  currant  jain. 

Pick  four  pounds  of  currants,  and  clear  them  of  their 
stalks.  Put  aside  two  pounds  and  a  half  ot  them  in  a  diah, 

and  sqeeze  the  other  one  pound  and  a  half  remaining 

Kow,  in  a  preserving  pan,  dissolve  four  pounds  of  sugar  ; 
and,  when  come  to  a  syrup,  put  in  the  two  pounds  and  a 
half  of  whole  currants  along  with  one  pound  and  a  half 
of  juice  of  the  same,  and  boil  all  together  to  periection. 

VI,  ,  7b  make  the  same  ivith  cherries.  . 

Have  two  pounds  of  the  finest  cherries,  take  off  both 
tail  and  stones.  Press  out  the  juice  of  them  and  put  it  in 
a  preserving  pan  with  a  pint  of  water,  and  four  pounds  of 
sugar.  Boil  all  together,  then  add  six  other  pounds  of  the 
finest  cherries,  from  which  the  tails  only^  and  not  the 
stones.have  been  picked.  Boil  all  to  a  syrup, and  when  this 
stands  the  trial  of  the  glass  of  water,  as  mentioned  above, 
all  is  done,  and  fit  for  potting. 

VII.    Another  way  to  fire&erve  cherries. 

Put  eight  pounds  of  cherries  either  with  or  without  their 
stones,  in  an  earthen  pan  over  a  moderate  charcoal  fire? 
to  evaporate  their  superfluous  moistness  ;  keep  inces- 
santly stirring,  taking  care  to  avoid  mashing  them.  Then 
add  four  pounds  of  lump  sugar  pulverised,  continue  to 
stir  the  cherries,  and  boil  all|  so  that  the  bubbles  should 
cover  the  fruit,  and  that  the  syrup  might  hereby  be  skim- 
med till  done  to  perfection  when  a  drop  of  it  runs  with 
difficulty,  being  cold  ;  then  the  chei .  le?  are  fit  to  pot- 


I 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS.  TRADES.  &c.         165 

VIII.      To  make  the  liquid  raspberry  jam. 

Boil,  to  a  strong  syrup,  four  pounds  of  sugar.  When 
done,  take  the  pan  off  the  fire,  and  put  in  four  pounds  of 
raspberries  well  picked,  and  not  mashed  in  the  least.  Put 
them  in  gently  at  first,  and  with  a  very  particular  care, 
for  fear  of  squeezing  them  ;  for,  when  the  heat  of  the 
syrup  has  once  seized  them,  they  are  not  so  apt  after- 
w^'ds  to  break.  Stir  them  therefore  a  little  in  the  sugar, 
andwhen  they  have  thrown  in  their  juice,  put  them  again 
on  the  fire,  to  complete  the  rhaking  of  the  syrup. 

IX.     To  preserve  apricots. 

Chuse  a  quantity  of  apricots,  just  turned,  but  not  ripe, 
and  the  fruit  of  which  has  still  all  iis  hardness  and  green- 
ness. Take  out  the  stones  by  means  of  a  small  bladed 
knife,  which  introduce  at  the  point  of  the  apricot  till  you 
feel  the  stone,  and  then  push  to  make  it  come  out  at  the 
tail.  When  you  have  thus  prepared  four  pounds  of  them 
(weighed  after  stoning)  have  a  large  wide  pan  of  boiling 
water  on  the  fire,  in  which  throw  them  in  order  to  blanch 
them,  taking  great  care  that  they  should  not  spot  in  the 
water.  When  blanched,  take  them  out  with  a  skimmer, 
and  set  them  a- draining  on  a  sieve.  Then  boil  and  clarify 
four  pounds  of  sugar  into  a  syrup.  When  done,  take  it 
out,  and  put  in  your  apricots  softly,  set  them  again  on  the 
fire,  and  give  them  two  or  three  bubbles  ;  take  the  pan 
from  the  fire  and  let  them  cool.  By  this  means  they  throw 
off  their  superfluous  moistness  and  take  the  sugar-  When 
cold,  take  them  from  the  sugar  with  a  skimmer,  and  set 
them  a-draining,  while  you  put  the  syrup  on  the  fire  to 
boil.  When  drained,  put  them  again  'into  the  boiling 
syrup,  and  give  them  five  or  six  bubbles  more,after  which 
let  them  rest  till  the  next  day,  put  them  again  on  the  fire, 
and  finish  them.  They  will  be  what  is  called  Liquid,  and 
you  may  pot  them  in  that  state. 

X.    How  to  make  a  dry  preserve  of  them. 

Proceed  as  above  directed,  till  the  time  they  are  fit  for 
being  potted  in  liquid,  instead  of  which  take  them"  again 
out  of  the  syrup,and  set  them  a-draining.then  range  them 
on  slates  at  regular  distances,  so  that  they  may  net  touch 
one  another.  When  thus  prepared,  powder  on  them, 
through  a  silk  sieve,  some  of  the  finest  loaf  sugar  pulveri- 
sed, and  put  them  in  the  stove  to  dry.  When  dry  on  th?i 
side,  take  them  out  from  the  slates,  and  turning  them  the 
other  side  upwards  on  a  sieve,  or  same  sort  of  small  light 
P  2 


166         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

willow  grates  made  on  purpose  ;  powder  them  with  sugar 
as  before,  and  when  equally  dried  and  cooled,  you  may 
put  them  in  boxes  with  white  brown  paper. 

N'ote-  All  sorts  of  plums  admit  of  the  same  mode  of 
operation,  to  make  them  into  dry  or  liquid  preserves- 

XI.     To  fireserve  green  afiricots. 

1-  Gather  apricots,  when  green  and  tresh  Then  pound 
some  salt  in  a  mortar,  and  make  it  as  fine  as  possible, 
and  putting  a  handful  of  this  salt  in  a  napkin,  with  as 
many  apricots  as  you  can  well  manage,  fold  the  napkin, 
lengthways,  bringing  the  long  sides  of  it  over  the  apricots, 
and  taking  the  ends  of  it  gathered  one  in  each  hand,  shake 
and  roll  them  backwards  and  forwards  wiih  the  sal^in 
the  napkin,  adding  a  spoonful  or  two  of  vinegar,  which 
pour  over  them  when  thus  agitated-  'Ihisis  to  cure  them 
of  their  down,  and  when  this  is  obtained,  throw  them  in 
cold  water,  and  continue  so  to  do  with  the  rest. 

2.  Having  well  washed  them  in  that  first  water,  put 
them  into  new  cold  water,  after  which  put  them  drammg 
on  a  sieve.  Then  boil  some  water,  and  throw  them  in, 
where  they  are  to  be  kept  boiling  till  they  are  soft, which 
try  now  and  then,by  taking  onexDr  two  with  the  skimmer, 
and  thrusting  in  a  fine  skewer  ;  if  this  gets  an  easy  ad- 
mittance in  the  apricots,  they  are  sufficiently  done-  Now 
take  the  pan  from  the  Hre.and  with  the  skimmer  take  the 
apricots  from  that  boiling  water  into  some  cold. 

3.  When  your  apricots  are  in  this  condition,  make  a 
syrup  with  as  many  pounds  of  sugt-r  as  you  have  fru:t,  and 
having  put  in  your  apricots,  let  them  boil  very  gently  — . . 
They  will  immediately  turn  of  a  very  fine  green-  You 
must  not  press  on  the  finishing  of  them  ;  on  the  contrary, 
take  them  off  the  fire,  and  give  them  a  couple  of  hours 
rest,  during  which  they  throw  off  their  moistijess,and  take 
the  sugar.  After  they  have  thus  rested,  set  them  again 
on  the  fire,  and  finish  them  as  fast  as  you  can,  that  they 
may  preserve  their  greenness. 

XII.    To  make  the  Cotignac  liquid. 

Pare  the  quinces,  and  cut  them  small,  after  having  ta- 
ken away  the  cores  and  kernels.  Put  a  gallon  of  water 
a  boiling,  then  put  them  in,  and  let  them  boil  till  reduced 
almost  to  a  pulp.  Strain  all  through  a  cloth,  and  squeeze 
^;t  well  into  a  bowl.  Then  set  it  on  the  fire  in  the  preserving 
'pan,  with  four  pounds  of  sugar,  and  boil  it  gently,  till  ta- 
kmg  some  with  the  skimmer,  and  letting  it  fall  on  a  plate, 
Jt  shall  rise  u])  like  a  jelly,  push  on  tlie  fire,  and  in  five 
minutes  after  the  Cotignac  is  done. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         167 

J\/ote.  If  you  put  the  peel  and  kernels  into  a  knot,  and 
boil  them  in  that  manner  m  the  water,  the  jam  will  soon- 
er be  red. 

XIII.  To  preserve  quinces  in  red. 

1.  Chase  the  most  even  quinces  not  stony.  Cut  them 
into  four  or  eight  quarters  as  you  hke  best,  then  pare  and 
core  them,  if  you  mett  with  any  stones  in  the  quarters, 
cut  them  off  too.  As  you  prepare  them  thus,  throw  them 
into  cold  water,  have  the  peels  and  cores  and  mixing 
among  them  whm  all  yr.ur  fruits  are  prepared,  such  of 
them  as  are  small,  crooked,  and  otherwise  ill  fornied,  and 
unfit,  to  go  along  with  the  othris,  boil  all  in  a  sufficient 
quantity  oi  water,  to  make  ft  strong  decoction  which  pass 
when  done,  and  strain  throuiih  a  strong  cloth  into  a  pan. 

2.  In  this  decoction  put  other  q  larters  and  boil  them  in 
the  preserving  pan.  When  sufficiently  done,  put  as  many 
pounds  of  sugar  as  vou  had  fruit.  Boil  this  gently,  and  in 
a  short  time  the  quinces  wli  becorr  e  most  beautifully  red. 
When  thev  are  come  to  perfection,  take  them  off  the  fire 
and  pot  them,  but  do  not  cover  them  for  a  day  or  two 
after. 

XIV.  To  do  the  same  in  white. 

1.  You  must  not  make  the  decoction  of  the  parings. 
When  the  fruit  is  pared,  you  must  tlirow  it  into  boiling  wa- 
ter, and  let  it  continue  to  boil  on  the  fire,  till  sufficic  ntly 
done  ;  then  take  it  out  with  the  skimmer,and  put  it  drain- 
ing on  the  sieve. 

2.  While  they  are  thus  draining,  make  a  syrup  ;  and 
when  this  is  skimmed  and  clarified  properly,  put  yous 
fruit  in  it  boihng.  Ten  miimies  after,  take  the  pan  from 
the  fire,  and  let  all  rest  a  while,then  squeeze  on  it  the  juice 
of  a  lemon  to  whiten  the  quinces  ;  and  setting  them  again 
on  the  fire,  finish  them  quickly. 

XV.     Tofireserve  rousselet,  muscadine,  and  other  pears. 

1.  Chuse  rousselet  pears,  which  should  be  neither  too 
ripe  nor  too  green  ;  which  pare  very  neatly,  and  boil  in 
water  till  properly  done.  Before  boiling  them  observe  to 
strike  them  to  the  heart  from  the  head,  with  the  point  of  a 
knife.  When  properly  done  in  the  boiling  water,  take 
them  out  with  the  skimmer,  and  throw  them  into  fresh 
water. 

2.  Make  next  a  syrup,  with  as  many  pounds  of  sugar 
as  you  have  pears,  in  which  put  these,  and  boil  them  five 
or  six  minutes  at  first,  then  take  them  from  the  fire,  and 


168  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

let  chem  rest  a  while  to  throw  out  their  superfluous  moist- 
ness.  and  take  the  sugar.  That  done,  set  them  again  on 
the  fire,  to  complete  them  quickly. 

JVote.  By  doing  as  above,  you  will  have  a  liquid  preserve 
of  pears,  it  you  want  to  have  them  dry,  follow  the  direc- 
tions in  Art.  x.  with  respect  to  apricots. 

XVI,    A  fireacrve  of  green  almonds. 

1.  Prepare  a  lye  of  pearl-ashes,  in  which  wash  yoiir  al- 
monds to  rub  their  down  off  Wash  them  in  another  wa- 
ter, then  in  boiling  water,  where  they  are  to  boil  till  soften- 
ed, but  not  to  open,  which  try  now  and  then,  by  thrusting. 
a  line  skewer  in  some  of  them.  When  done  enough,  skim 
them  out  from  this  water,  and  throw  them  into  cold,  then 
set  them  draining  in  a  sieve. 

2.  Now  make  a  syrup,  and  throw  your  almonds  in  while 
boiling.  They  will  immediately  recover  their  green ;  then 
finish  them  as  expeditiously  as  you  can,  for  fear  they  should 
turn  black.  If  you  want  to  keep  them,  you  must  put 
pound  for  pound  of  fruit  and  sugar. 

XVII.     To  make  dry  fiortable  cherries. 

Prepare  four  pounds  of  fine  Kentish  cherries,  by  depri- 
ving them  of  their  stones  and  tails  Then  have  one  pound 
of  sugar  which  put  a  dissolving  on  the  fire  in  a  pint  of  wa- 
ter. When  this  begins  to  boil,  throw  your  cherries  quick- 
ly in,  and  make  them  boil  thus  in  the  sugar  till  the  syrup 
begins  to  thicken.  When  they  are  sufficiently.dcne,  take 
them  from  the  fire,  and  let  it  cool,  after  which  put  them 
a  draining  in  a  sir^ve  ;  then  range  them  on  slates,  and  pow- 
der through  a  sieve  some  sugar  all  over  them,  and  place 
them  in  the  stove,  or  for  want  of  this  conveniency,  in  a  ba- 
ker's oven,  after  the  bread  has  been  taken  out.  When 
dry  on  one  side  turn  them  on  the  other,  and  powder  them 
over  with  sugar  as  you  did  before  ;  dry  them  in  the  same 
manner,  and  box  them  when  cold  to  keep  for  use. 

JSTote  Plumbs  may  be  done  in  the  same  manner.  This 
sort  of  preserve  is  very  agreeable,  and  may  be  carried 
any  where. 

XVIIl.     To  make  an  afiricot,  orfieachjam. 

1.  Chuse  the  ripest  apricots,  which  clean  of  all  hard 
knobs,  spots  and  rotted  parts-  Cut  them  in  small  bits  in  a 
preserving  pan,  which  have  previously  weighed.  If  you 
have  put  four  pounds  ot  apricots  in  it,  reduce  them  by 
boiling  over  a  gentle  fire  to  two  pounds  only,  which  you 
must  find  out  by  weighing  pan  and  fruit  together,  now  and 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         169 

then,tiUyou  find  your  right  weight.  When  this  is  the  case, 
put  among  your  apricots  thus  reduced  to  op^p  half,  two 
pounds  of  iuifip  sflgar  pulverised,  and  mix  all  well  for  the 
space  of  five  rninutt-s  over  the  fire,  then  take  all  off,  let  it 
cool,  and  pot. 

2  This  cnrriposition  you  may  put  into  paste,  on  slates  or 
in  tin  moulds-  'I'here  iS  not  more  exquisite  eating. .  You 
mav  also  with  two  of  three  roasted,  or  baked  apples,  mix 
two  spoonlulsof  this  marmalade,  and  make  excessive  nice 
larts  with  it,  or  again,  with  ptars  baked  under  ashes. 

XIX.    j^n  apricot  jaiUi  after  the  French  %vay. 

1.  Chuse  such  ripe  apricots  as  are  fit  to  eat.  Peel  their 
skin  off  very  neatly,  and  give  them  a  bubble  or  two  in  boil- 
ing water,  so  as  not  to  have  them  dissolve  in  the  water, 
and  put  them  draining.  When  done,  mash  them  through 
a  sieve,  and  let  them  rest  a  ticiie  to  evaporate  their  super- 
fluous moistness.* 

2.  While  this  is  doing,  make  a  syrup  with  as  many 
pounds  of  5;;gar  as  you  haye  frui:,  arid  t«ke  it  i-ff  the  fire; 
when  the  syrup  is  cooled,  put  your  fruit  in,  which  stir  well 
with  the  spatula,  then  put  all  again  on  the  fire  for  ten 
irinutes,  in  order  to  make  the  fruit  take  well  the  sugar- 
When  the  jam  is  well  done,  fine  and  transparent,  pot  it. 

XX-     To  make  rasfiberryy  currant,  and  cherry  jam. 

All  these  fruits  must  be  squeezed  through  a  sieve,  then 
clarify  the  sugar,  and  throw  in  the  juice,  bring  to  perfec- 
tion afterwards  as  directed  in  the  last  receipt- 

XXI.     To  make  a  good  currant  jelly. 

Have  four  pounds  of  currant^  after  picking.  Then  dis- 
solve in  water  four  pounds  of  Icmf  sugar,  which  make  into 
a  pretty  strong  syrup.  Now  put  the  currants  in,  and  boil 
so  as  to  have  them  covered  with  the  bubbles-  Six  minutes 
after  such  a  boiling,  take  the  pan  from  the  fire,  and  pour 
the  contents  in  a  sive,  to  strain  off  all  the  liquid.  Put  this 
liquor  aejain  in  the  pan  and  boil  it,  till  taking  a  drc.p  with 
the  skimmer,  and  pouring  it  on  a  plate,  it  congeals  as  it 
cools.    Then  it  is  fit  to  pot- 

They  who  want  to  spare  the  sugar,  and  have  a  great 
deal  of  jelly,  at  a  smaller  expence,  m.ay  employ  four 
pounds  only  of  sugar  to  six  of  currants,  after  picking,  and 
proceed  as  above.  They  must  however  observe  to  do  the 
jelly  rather  more  than  in  the  preceding  case,  when  ths 
fruit  and  sugar  are  pound  for  pound. 


170         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c^! 

XXII.     To  ?nake  an  ap file  jelly. 

• 

1.  Cut  in  small  bits  a  dozen  ofgoldretmets,  and  put  them 
in  the  preserving  pan,  with  three  quarts  of  water,  which 
boil  to  the  reduction  of  one  half.  Throw  all  in  a  cloth  to 
strain  it  throu;^h,  and  draw  all  the  juice  from  the  apple?» 
Then  to  this  put  four  pounds  of  sugar,  which  boil  to  a  jelly. 

2.  To  give  a  fiointe  to  that  jelly,  you  may  add  the  juice 
of  one  lemon,  and  even  the  rasping  of  one  half  of  its  rind. 

XXIII,  A  conserve  nvith  raspings  of  Portugal  oranges 

and  lemons,  co?ijointly  or  separately. 

Put  your  raspings  to  dry  in  a  plate.  Prepare  some  su- 
gar mto  a  syrup.  Take  this  from  the  fire,  and  stir  it  with 
a  spoon,  round  the  pan  and  in  the  middle  ;  then  throw  m 
your  raspings  of  lemon  or  orange,  or  both  together,  and 
having  stirred  all  well,  put  it  in  the  moulds  and  make  your 
drops 

XXIV.  To  whiten  cherries,  currants,  raspberries,  grapes^ 

strawberries,  and  such  like  fruit' 

Beat  one  or  two  whites  of  eggs  with  orange  flower  water, 
then  steep  your  fruit  in,  and  roll  it  afterwards  in  a  dish' 
■wherein  there  is  lump  sugar  pulverised  and  sifted  very  Ij 
fine.  When  it  is  well  covered  over  with  sugar,  put  it  on  a 
sheet  of  paper,  and  set  it  in  the  sun  to  dry.  You  may  thus- 
ice  ail  sorts  of  fruits  susceptible  of  icing. 

XXV.     To  make  Savgy  biscuits. 

1.  Separate  the  whites  pf  four  eggs  from  their  yolks. 
Beat  them  by  themselves  to  a  very  hard  froth,  at  uhich 
time  put  the  yolks,  previously  well  diluted,  and  continue 
beating  all  together.  Now  introduce  half  a  pound  of  su- 
gar pulverised,  and  beat  them  all  together  again. 

2.  When  you  are  ready  to  dress  your  biscuits,  have  a 
quarter  of  a  pound  of  seperfine  flour,  which  incorporate  by 
beating  well,  then  dress  it  on  a  sheet  of  paper  in  the  form 
you  like  best,  and  ice,  them  over  with  sugar  in  powder  to 
prevent  their  running-  Put  them  in  an  oven,  no  hotter  than 
tor  massepins,  and  after  a  reasonable  time  they  willbe'done. 

XXVI.     To  make  bitter  almond  biscuits. 

Pound  in  a  mortar,  three  quarters  of  a  pound  of  bitter 
and  one  quarter  of  sweet  almonds-    When  thus  pounded 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c.         171 

haveeight  ornine  yolks  of  eggs.which  beatup  and  mix  wiih 
your  paste  of  almonds,  and  two  pounds  of  pulverised  lump 
sugar.  I'his  paste  must  be  a  deal  harder  than  that  of  the 
Savoy  biscuits.  Then  with  the  end  ot  a  knife  taking 
some  of  that  paste,  place  it  in  rows  on  a  sheet  of  paper,  in 
^vhatform  or  shape  you  like,  and  ice  is  with  pul.erised 
sugar,  then  put  it  in  the  oven  as  you  do  the  Savoy  biscuits 
or  massepins. 

XX  VII.  Ho%v  to  fireser-ue  orange  fieels  all  the  year  but  es- 
pecially in  Xlay- 

Cut  some  oranges,  in  four  quarters  and  peel  them. 
Then  put  the  peels  to  soak  in  water  for  about  ten  or 
twelve  days;  then  dry  them  between  two  cloths,  and 
put  them  in  a  caldron  with^a  sufficient  quantity  of  honey 
to  hal^  cover  them.  Boil  them  thus  one  minute  or  two, 
stirring  them  incessantly.  Then  take  them  oft"  the  fire, 
and  let  th^m  rest  till  the  next  day,  put  them  on  again, 
and  let  them  boil  ten  minutes  or  a  quar'er  of  an  hour. 
For  six  or  seven  days  repeat  the  same  operation,  taking 
great  care  incessantly  to  stir,  tu'n  them  all  the  while  they 
are  on  the  fire-  On  the  eighth  day  change  the  honey,  and 
in  the  fresh  honey  boil  them  five  minutes,  then  pot  them 
"with  that  new  honey  in  which  they  boiled  last,  and  keep 
them  for  use  after  having  added  some  ciiinan»on,  cloves, 
and  white  ginger,  mixed  and  both  reduced  into  subtile 
powder. 

XXVIII.   To  make  a  paste  "with  whatever  fruit  it  may  be* 

Take  whatever  quantity  you  please  of  any  fruit,  which 
peel  and  boil  well  in  water,  then  strain  the  juice 
through  a  sieve  or  flannel.  Now  weigh  ten  pounds  of  that 
paste  of  fruit,  and  ten  more  of  sugar  pulverised.  Mix  first 
live  pounds  of  sugar  with  ten  pounds  of  fruit,  and  put  it  a- 
doing  on  the  fire  ;  then  mix  four  more  pounds  of  your  sugar 
When  done,  put  with  a  spoon  (on  iron  plates  previously 
powdered  with  some  of  the  sugar  which  was  left)  some  of 
that  paste.  Set  these  to  dry  on  a  chafingdish,  in  the  sun, 
or  in  the  open  air,  turning  and  returning  them  often,  and 
powdtringthem  morning  and  evening  with  sugar.  When 
these  little  cakes  are  perfectly  dry,  put  them  in  Dutch 
deal  boxes,  and  in  white  papers,  that  they  may  not  touch 
each  other. 

J\Jote.  In  the  same  manner  you  may  make  the  conserve 
^i  roses,  bugloss,  burrage,  red  currants,  &c. 

XXIX.  Genoa  biscuits. 
Tak,e  four  ounces  of  sugar  in  powder,  one  pound  of 


172         SECRETS  IN  ARTS.  TRADES,  Sec. 

flour,  a  little  coriander  and  aniseeds  in  powder,  -whick 
mix  with  four  eggs  and  as  much  lukewarm  water  as  needs 
to  make  a  dough  of  the  whole.  Bake  it  in  the  oven,  and 
when  baked,  cut  it  in  five  or  six  slices,  which  you  bake 
again. 

XXX.    The  queen's  cakes  or  biscuits. 

Take  twelve  ounces  of  flour,  one  pound  of  fine  sugar 
in  powder,  and  twelve  eggs,  from  which  take  out  three 
yolks,  with  coriander  and  aniseeds.  Beat  and  mix  all  to- 
gether, till  it  comes  to  a  thick  but  runn  ng  paste  Some 
add  veast  to  make  it  lighter  and  rise  higher.  Divide  this 
paste  into  several  paper  cases,  ot  the  width  o^  two  fingers, 
and  twice  as  long,  which  pu^  in  an  oven  to  bake  ;  but 
take  care  that  it  be  not  too  warm.  ^ 

XXXI.  Macaroons. 

Pound  well  one  pound  of  sweet  almonds,  moistening 
them  with  rose  water,  introduce  one  pound  of  sugar,  and 
beat  all  well  m  a  soft  paste,  which- put  r  <nnd  a  dish,  and 
half  bake  in  a  lukewarm  oven.  When  the  paste  is  half 
done,c(it  it  in  small  round  pieces,  and  having  ranged  them 
on  a  sheet  of  paper,  finish  baking  them. 

XXXII.  Particular  method  of  making  cakes- 

Wash  and  clean  well  a  dozen  of  eggs,  and  wipe  them 
thorouglv  dry  Then  break  them  and  take  their  whites 
only,  which  beat  in  a  mortar  along  with  their  sh'-lls  till 
these  latter  be  perfectly  dissolved.  Now  add  sugar  and 
flour,  though  not  so  much  flour  as  sugar.  "  When  all  is 
■well  mixed,  spread  the  paste,  which  ought  to  be  a  little 
firm,  on  a  sheet  of  paper,  and  after  having  glazed  it,  bake 
it  in  a  slow  oven. 

XXXIII.   A  cream  which  cuts  as  a  rice  fiudding. 

• 

Beat  in  a  dish  two  whites  of  eggs  and  one  yolk,  in  which, 
•while  you  beat,  introduce  bv  degrees  a  quarter  of  a  pound 
of  sugar,  in  proportion  as  it  jnelts,  and  a  pap  spoonful  of 
rose  water.  When  completed,  pour  in  the  dish,  and  stir, 
a  quart  of  milk  and  cream  mixed  half  and  half,  then  set 
it  gently  on  warm  cinders",  to  take  without  boiling,  not 
disturbing  it  any  more.  In  aa  hour's  time  it  generally  is 
suffic'ently  taken.  Then  col  ^u^  it  in  passing  a  red  lipt 
shov^  1  over  it.  It  is  to  be  served  cold,  after  having  rasp- 
ed some  sugar  on  it.  ^ 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  ITS 

XXXIV.  To  make  an  exceeding  good  boiled  cream. 

Take  cream  from  the  cow,  which  boil  with  a  crum  of 
stalebread,  rasped  very,  fine,  and  a  little  fresh  butter.  As 
soon  as  it  begins  to  quake,  stir  it  continually  with  a  spoon  ; 
and  having  diluted  some  yolk  of  eggs  strain  them  through 
a  cloth.  Put  as  much  salt  and  sugar  in  your  cream  as 
you  think  it  requires.  And  when  it  boils  and  begins  to 
rise,  pour  the  yolks  of  eggs  in,  never  ceasing  to  stir  it  in 
order  to  prevent  its  rising  so  far  as  to  run  over.  As  soon 
as  you  see  it  begins  to  render  the  butter,  take  it  out  of  the 
lire,  and  to  serve,  glaze  it  over  with  sugar  in  power. 

XXXV.  A  method  of  making  cakes  exceedingjine. 

Take  two  whites  of  eggs,  which  beat  well  to  a  froth» 
after  having  taken  away  their  germen.  Add  one  quarter 
of  a  pound  of  fine  flour,  and  as  much  powdered  sugar. 
Beat  all  well,  and  add  a  little  brandy  and  coriander  seed 
powdered.  All  being  well  mixed,  spread  the  paste  on 
sheets  of  white  paper,  glaze  it  over  with  powdered  sugar j-. 
^Bd  put  it  to  bake* 


[  1^4] 
CHAP.  XV 


SECRETS  RELATIVE  TO  THE  ART  OF  PREPARING 
SNUFF. 


L  How  to  reduce  tobacco  into  fiowder. 


IyNCORD  the  tobacco,  and  spread  the  leaves  to 
J  dry  in  the  sun.  Then  pound  them  in  a  nnortar,  and 
sift  through  a  coarse  sieve  to  get  the  coarsest  powder  out 
of  it.  As  for  sifting,  observe  to  do  it  in  due  proportion  as 
you  pound  it,  and  not  to  pound  nnuch  at  a  time.  You  may 
also  take  another  method,  that  of  grinding  it  in  one  of  those 
small  mills  which  are  mai'e  on  purpose  for  grinding  to- 
baccu-  By  these  means  you  may,  without  much  trou- 
ble, make  ic  as  coarse  and  as  fine  as  you  like,  by  screwing 
tighter  or  slacker  the  nut. 
» 
11.  How  to  jiurge  snuff,  and  firefiare  it  Jor  admitting  of 
^  odours. 

Have  a  small  tub  pierced  with  a  hole  at  bottom,  which 
you  may  stop  and  unstop  with  a  cork  as  >t)u  want  it-  In 
this  tub  put  a  verv  th.ck  and  close  weaved  cloth,  which 
turn  over  ih^  rim  of  the  tub  and  fix  there  by  the  outside. 
Pur  Vi>n''  snwft  in  it,  and  pour  water  over  ii.  After  it  has 
soaked  itius  twentv-four  hours,  unstop  the  hole  of  the  tub 
and  let  the  wa  er  drain  away,  wringing  the  cloth  in  which 
it  is  to  help  th^  expression  of  the  water.  Repeat  this  op- 
ercitiin  three  different  tinr.es  to  purge  it  the  better.  When 
this  operation  is  p-rforck.ed,  set  the  snuff  to  drying  in  the 
sun  When  dry,  put  it  again  in  the  tub  in  the  sanfie  man- 
ner as  before,  ann  soak  it  again,  not  with  common  water, 
but  wth  soine  snielling  ones,  such  as  f  <- r  example:  orange 
flpwcr  wuter,  tau  d'  ange,  8cc  Twenty-four  hours  after 
let  the  water  run  off  c.nd  drain,  then  s-- 1  it  in  the  sun  to  dry 
as  betlre.  In  the  mean  while  scir  and  asperse  it  again 
with  sri<-lline  water-  Such  is  iheindi.^pensible  p'-eparation 
abso'i  :teiv  requisite  to  aisnose  snuff  to  receive  the  odour 
of  fl  )urs.  If  you  d^  not  care  to  h.tve  it  so  perfectly  nice, 
and  should  -lOt  like  to  'vaste  so  n.uch  of  ityou  nr^ay  tfive  it 
but  a-^'e  wuih  of  the  com -non  water.  This  moderate  pur- 
gat  on  will  do  prnty  well  especially  if,  wh^le  it  is  a  drving 
in  ihe  sun  vou  knead  it  the  more  often  in  proportion  with 
vour  fragrant  water,  and  let  it  dry  each  time  between. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS.  TRADES,  5cc.         "iTS 

III.    Mow  to  fierjume  inuff  %vuhJloiverS' 

The  tuberose,  the  jessamine,  the  orange  ffowers,  &:c. 
and  those  which  corrimunicate  the  more  easily  their  fra- 
grancy  to  the  snuff.  To  produce  this,  have  a  box  lined 
with  white  paper  perfectly  dry,  in  which  riiake  a  bed  of 
snuff  of  the  thickness  of  an  inch,  then  one  of  flowers,  ano- 
ther of  snuff,  and  another  of  flowers  again,  continuing  so 
to  do  till  you  have  employed  all  your  snuff-  After  having 
let  this  stratification  subsist  for  twenty-four  hours,  sepa- 
rate the  flowers  from  the  snuff  bv  means  of  the  sieve,  and 
renew  the  same  stratification  again  as  before  with  new 
flowers.  Continue  thus  to  do  till  you  find  that  your  snuff 
has  acquired  a  sufficient  fragrancy  from  the  flowers ;  then 
put  it  in  lead  boxes  to  keep  it. 

IV.     Snuff  of  fnille-fleurs- 

The  mille-Jleurs^  or  snuff  of  one  thousand  and  one  flow- 
ers is  made  by  mixing  together  a  number  of  various  odour- 
ing  flowers,  managing  the  quantity  of  each  of  thenn  ac- 
cording to  the  greater  or  lesser  degree  of  fragrancy  they 
are  empowered  with,  so  that  none  could  be  found  to  have 
a  predominancy  over  the  other.  When  that  is  executed, 
you  proceed,  as  before  directed,  to  the  alternate  stratifica- 
tion of  this  mixture  and  of  the  snuff  powder. 

V.     The  odouring  snuff  after   the  method  practised  at 
Rome. 

Take  the  snuff  after  its  being  perfumed  with  flowers, 
and  put  it  in  a  large  bowl  or  other  proper  vessel  Pour 
over  it  some  white  wine  with  an  addition  ot  essences  of 
musk  and  amber,  or  any  other  such  like  odours-  Then 
stir  your  snuff  and  rub  it  all  between  your  hands  In  this 
manner  you  may  have  snuff  of  whatever  odour  you  desire, 
which,  to  distinguish  from  each  other  you  put  into  sepa- 
rate lead  boxes  with  a  particular  mark. 

VI.    Amber-snuff, 

Heat  the  bottom  of  a  mortar,  and  pound  it  in  twenty 
grains  of  amber,  adding  by  degrees  a  pound  of  snuff  ro  it, 
which  rub  and  mix  afterwards  with  your  hands  to  intro- 
duce the  odour  the  oetter  among  it. 

VII.     The  odouring  snuff,  Malthese  fashion. 

Take  a  snuff  ready  prepared  with  orange  flower  water, 


X7&         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c. 

(as  directed  art.  ii.)  then  perfume  it  with  amber  as  yre 
have  just  said  ;  after  which  with  ten  grain's  of  civet,  pound 
with  a  little  sugar  in  a  mortar,  introduce  again  your  snuff, 
by  degrees,  to  the  quantity  o*  a  pound  for  these  ten  grains, 
increasing  either  the  snuft  or  the  odours  in  the  same  pro- 
portion to  each  other. 

yill.     'JVie  true  Malthese  method  offirefiarmg  snuffl 

Take  rose  tree  and  liquorice  roots,  which  peel  and  re- 
duce them  into  powder  and  sift  it,  then  give  it  what  oriour 
you  like,  addmg  wh'te  wine,  brand)'  or  spirit  of  wine,  and 
mix  your  snuff  well  with  this.  Such  is  the  true  Malthese 
method  of  preparing  snuff. 

IX.     The  Sfianish  method  of  firefiaring  fitrfumed  snuff, 

1.  Pound  in  a  small  mortar  twenty  grains  of  musk  with 
a  little  sugar.  Add  by  degrees  as  much  as  a  pound  of 
snuff  to  it ;  then  poun-l  ten  grains  of  civet,  and  introduce 
your  musked  snuff  to  it  in  a  gradual  manner  as  before, 
and  rub  altogether  between  your  hands. 

2.  The  Seville  snuff  is  tiie  same  with  only  an  addition 
of  twenty  grains  of  vanilla,  an  ingredient  w  hich  enters  in 
the  composition  of  chocolate. 

3-  They  who  are  found  cf  a  milder  and  sweeter  odour 
in  their  s'luff  may  increase  the  quantity  of  snuff  for  the 
prescribed  doses  of  odours,  or  diminish  the  doses  of  odours 
prescribed  ff^r  the  quantity  of  snuff.  Take  care  not  to  let 
odouring  snuff  be  exposed  to  the  air,  but  keep  it  very  close 
for  fear  it  should  lose  its  fragancy. 

4.  As  the  Spanish  snuff  is  excessively  fine  and  drawing 
towards  a  reddish  hue. to  iiriitate  it  in  the  above  prescrip- 
tion you  must  chuse  fine  Holland  well  purged,  reddened 
and  granulated  pound  and  sift  it  through  a  very  fine  silk 
sieve.  Then  give  it  whatever  odour  you  like,  after  having 
purged  it  in  the  manner  we  prescribed  in  this  chapter 
art.  ii. 

5  There  is  no  inconveniency  in  taking  a  snuff  already 
prepared  with  flowers,  to  give  it  afterwards  an  odour  of 
amber,  musk,  and  other  perfume.  On  the  contrary,  such 
a  snuff  is  the  readier  to  take  the  other  odours,  and  pre- 
serve them  so  much  the  longer. 


CHAP.  XVI. 
SECRETS  OF  TAKING  OUT  SPOTS  AND  STAINS. 

I.  To  take  of  irorfmouldsjrom  linen. 

PUT  boiling  water  into  a  bowl,  and  spread  the  stained 
parts  of  your  linen  over  it,  as  to  be  well  penetrated 
with  the  steam  of  the  water.  Then  rub  the  places  with 
sorrel  juice  and  salt  till  they  are  perfectly  soaked.  Such 
linen  washed  afterwards  in  the  lye  of  wood  ashes,  will  be 
found  to  return  entirely  free  from  the  iron  mould  spots  it 
had  before. 

II.    To  take  off"  carriage  wheel  grease  from  cloatha* 

Rub  the  place  with  butter.  Then  with  blotting  paper 
and  a  hot  iron  you  may  take  all  off  as  you  would  a  drop  of 
wax  or  tallow  on  a  cloth. 

III.  Agaxnat  fiisa  spots. 

Boil  some  chamber-lye  and  wash  the  place  with  it. 
Then  rinse  it  with  clear  water. 

IV.     To  take  off sfiots  from  cloth  oj  any  colour. 

Take  half  a  pound  of  crude  honey,  the  volk  of  a  new 
laid  egg.  and  the  bulk  of  a  nut  of  ammoniac  salt-  Mix  all 
tog»  ther,and  put  some  on  the  spots.  Having  left  it  there  a 
while,  wash  the  place  with  clean  water,  and  the  spot  will 
disappear. 

V.  A  receipt  against  all  sorts  of  spots  upon  stuff. 

A  water  impregnated  with  alkaline  salt,  black  soap 
and  bullock's,  gall  take  offextremely  well  the  greasy  spots 
from  any  cloth  or  silk  stuff. 

VI.  Against  oil  spots. 

Take  a  piece  of  white  soap,  shaved  vry  fine,  and  put 
in  a  quart  bottle  with  a  wide  mouth  and  neCk,  half  filled 
with  lye.  Add  to  this  the  bulk  ol  a  nut  of  ammoniac  salt, 
two  yolks  of  eggs,  cabbage  juice  and  bullock's  gall  a  dis- 

Q2 


178         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

cretionable  quantity,  one  ounce  of  salt  of  tartar  in  subtiie. 
powder  sifted.  Stop  the  bottle  well,  shake  it  and  expose 
it  to  the  sun  for  four  days.  After  that  time  if  you  pour  off 
that  liquor  on  any  oil  spot,  and  rub  it  well  with  it  in  and 
cutside,theii  let  it  dry, and  wash  it  again  with  clear  water. 

VII.  ^  washing  ball  to  take  out  sfiots* 

Take  fuller's  earth,  or  soft  soap  incorporated  with  vine 
brush  ashes,  white  chalk,  alum  and  tartar,  pounded  all  to- 
gether in  a  mortar  and  siftr^d  through  a  fine  silk  sieve. 
When  all  is  made  into  a  paste  icrm  your  balls  with  it,  and 
let  them  dry  in  the  shade.  To  use  them,  rub  any  spotted 
place  with  it,  and  wash  it  afterwards  with  clear  water. 

VIII.  To  take  out  pitch  and  turpentine  spots. 

Rub  well  the  spot  with  oil  of  olive,  which  set  to  dry  for 
one  day.  Then  with  warm  water  and  the  above  washing 
ball,  you  will  entirely  ungrease  the  place. 

IX,  jigainst  ink  spots,  whether  on  cloth  or  linen- 
Wet  immediately  the  place  with  lemon,  or  sorrel  juicej 
or  with  white  soap  diluted  in  vinegar. 

X.  Another  simple  remedy  against  ink  when  just  spilled* 

The  time  spent  in  lamenting  over  an  accident  just  hap- 
pened, is  but  too  often  the  only  one  which  could  have  sav- 
ed and  prevented  the  dire  consequences  of  it,  nay  perhaps 
have  reprtired  it  entirely  without  leaving  the  least  scar 
behind  had  we  ran  instantly  to  the  remedy.  If  the  ink  be 
-spilt  on  a  ruffle  or  apron,  &c.  while  you  have  it  on,  let  one 
hold  the  aff«-cted  part  between  his  two  hands  over  a  bason 
and  rub  it  while  another  is  pouring  gradually  water  from 
a  decanter,  and  let  a  whole  pitcher  full  be  used  if  neces- 
sary. If  the  ruffle,  apron,  &c.  beat  liberty  and  not  on, 
the  place  dipped  into  a  bason  full  of  water,  and  there 
squeezed  and  dipped  in  again,  may  do,  provided  you 
change  the  water  in  abundance  every  two  or  three  squee- 
zes If  the  ink  be  spilt  on  a  green  carpet  table,  it  may 
immediately  be  taken  out  with  a  tea  spoon  so  dexterous- 
.ly  that  any  water  at  all  shall  hardly  be  wanted  afterwards 
provided  it  was  only  that  instant  spilt,  as  the  down  of  the 
[•Eloti  prevents  the  itumediate  soaking  of  the  ink  or  any 
^tber  liquor,  (except  oil)  bmiiith^^s  laid  ever  so  Jong, 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &a         17'$ 

provided  it  is  still  wet»  by  pouring  a  little  fresh  clean  water 
at  a  time  on  the  place,  and  gathering  it  up  each  time  with 
a  spoon,  and  pressing  hard  to  squeeze  it  out  ot  the  cloth  m- 
to  the  spoon  again,  you  will  at  last  bring  it  to  its  natural 
colour,  as  if  no  such  accident  had  ever  happened. 

XI.     jigainst  oil  spots  on  satiny  silks ^  stuffs,  or  fiafier* 

If  the  spot  is  fresh  done,  heat  on  the  shovel  some  ashes- 
from  calcined  sheep's  trotters  ;  put  some  under  and  upon 
the  place  Tlien  laying  something  heavy  upun  it,  let  it  stay 
for  one  night ;  the  next  morning  the  spot  ought  to  be  gone ; 
but  if  not  quite  renew  the  precept- 

XII.    yi /ire/iaration  of  balls  against  spots. 

Take  half  a  pound  of  soap,  four  ounces  of  clay,  and  one 
of  quick  Hme.  Dilute  all  with  a  httle  water,  and  make  it 
into  pills  or  small  balls.  With  these  rub  the  spots,  and 
wash  the  place  afterwards. 

XIII.    I'or  silks. 

If  you  rub  the  spots  which  are  upon  a  silk  with  spirit  of 
turpentine,  they  will  disappear ;  because  the  volatility  of 
that  spirit  exhaling  into  vapour,  carries  along  with  it  the 
oil  of  the  spot  to  which  on  account  of  its  homogeneous  quali- 
ty, it  communicates  its  volatility,  by  penetrating  and  sub- 
dividing it  infinitely' 

XIV.     To  restore  gold  and  silver  laee  to  their  Jormer 
beauty. 

Mix  equalquantities  of  water,  bullock's  and  jack's  gal]. 
With  this  coniposition,  rub  your  gold  or  silver,  and  you 
will  see  it  changing  colour  directly- 

XV.     To  restore  Turkey  carpets  to  their  first  bloom. 

Beat  the  carpet  well  with  a  rod,  till  perfectly  free  frottj 
dust.  Then  if  there  be  any  spots  of  ink,  take  them  out  with 
a  lemon,  or  with  sorrel,  and  wash  the  place  afterwardil 
with  clear  water.  Shake  the  rest  of  the  water  off,  and  let 
it  dry,  rub  the  carpet  very  hard  all  over  with  the  smoak- 
ing  hot  crura  of  a  white  loaf;  and  when  you  find  in  the 
evening  the  skies  clear  and  a  likelihood  of  being  a  fiqe 
Bight,  let  the  carpet  be  put  out  lor  two  or  three  such  nigb^s^ 


180         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  5cc. 

XVI.  To  make  tajiestries  resume  their  first  brightness, 
when  their  colours  have  been  tarnished  and  sfioiled. 

Shake  and  clean  well  the  tapestry  by  rubbing  it  all  over 
with  white  chalk,  which  leave  on  it  for  about  one  day. 
Next  with  a  rough  hair  brush  get  all  that  chalk  out  again, 
and  put  on  fresh,  which  leave  as  before.  Then  with  the  same 
rough  hair  brush  get  this  out  also,  and  beat  it  soundly  with 
a  rod,  and  brush  it  afterwards  with  the  soft  cloth-brush. 
This  operation  will  restore  a  tapesty  to  its  pristine  state. 

XVII.  To  take  off  sfiots  of  wax  from  velvet  of  any  co- 

lour except  the  crimson. 

Take  the  crum  of  a  stale  loaf,  and  cut  a  thick  slice  out 
of  it,  which  toast  and  apply,  while  burning  hot  on  the  spot 
of  wax;  when  cooled,  renew  it  till  all  the  wax  is  soaked 
out  of  the  velvet. 

XVIII.     To  take  the  same  from  silks  and  camblet. 

Put  on  each  wax  spot,  some  soft  soap,  and  set  it  in  the 
sun  till  grown  warm; then  by  washing  the  place  with  clean 
water,  the  spot  will  disappear. 

XIX.     To  wash  a  gold  or  silver,  or  silk  embroidery ^  or 
any  stuff  whatever,  and  render  it  like  new. 

Take  bullock's  gall,  a  pound,  soap  and  honey,  three 
ounces  of  each,  and  Florentine  orrice,  about  the  same 
quantity  in  subtile  powder.  Put  all  in  a  glass  vessel,  in 
■which  mix  it  well  into  a  paste,  and  let  it  be  exposed  for 
ten  days  in  the  sun.  When  you  are  ready  to  use  it,  make 
an  infusion  of  bran,  which  boil  in  water  and  strain  through 
a  cloth.  Then  smear  the  work  over  with  the  above  de- 
scribed paste,  in  such  places  as  you  want  to  clean,  and 
"wash  them  afterwards  with  bran  water,  renewing  this  till 
il  receives  no  more  alteration  in  its  colour.  Wipe  well  the 
places  with  a  white  cloth,  and  wrap  the  work  in  a  clean 
napkin  to  set  it  in  the  sun  to  dry,  after  which  pass  it  through 
the  polishing  and  lustring  press,  and  the  work  will  be  as 
fine  and  bright  as  when  new. 

^X.     To  take  the  sfiots  off  from  silk  and  "Moollen  stuffs. 

Take  French  starch  without  any  mixture  of  indigo  or 
bhie  whatever,  which  dilute  in  a  c«p  with  geod  brandy  like 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  181 

a  thick  pap.  Of  this  paste,  put  on  each  spot,  and  when 
dry  rub  it  off  and  brush  it-  If  the  spot  is  not  quite  gone 
the  first  time,  renew  the  operation  and  it  certainly  will 
the  second. 

XXI      To  colour  velvet  in  red- 

Take  four  ounces  of  adragant.  and  one  of  arabic  gums, 
both  of  v'hich  ptilverise.  Put  this  powder  in  clean  water, 
wherein  let  it  dissolve  for  two  or  three  days  ;  then  steep 
a  sponj^e  in  tht  hquor,  and  rub  the  wrong  side  of  the  vel- 
vet, if  after  beir.g  dry,  you  find  it  not  high  coloured 
enough,  renew  it,  and  the  effect  will  surprise  you. 

XXIL     To  revive  the  colour  of  a  doth. 

Pour  one  quartof  water  on  onepound  of  burnt  pot-ashes. 
Twelvt-  hcyrs  after  decant  the  water  off  in  another  vessel, 
and  put  in  a  handful  of  dry  moth  mullein  leaves,  with  two 
bv>lock's  ,eai]v  Boil  all  together  till  the  leaves  go  to  the 
bo-.tom.  i'h^^in  set  this  water  for  a  few  days  in  the  sun* 
Then  putting  in  it  whatever  colour  you  want,  boil  it  with 
the  cloth  in  that  lye,  and  let  it  thus  soak  afterwards  four- 
teen or  fifteen  days,  then  the  cloth  Will  have  resumed  its 
primary  colour. 

XXIJI.     To  take  the  s/iois  off  from  a  nvhite  cloth- 

Boil  two  ounces  of  alum  for  half  an  hour,  in  a  pint,  or  a 
pint  and  a  half  of  water  ;  then  put  in  a  p'ece  of  white  soap, 
with  another  pound  of  aiu  n  ;  and  having  soaked  thus 
three  days  in  the  cold,  you  may  with  it  wash  all  the  spots 
of  any  white  cloth  whatever. 

XX  iV.     To  take  off  the  sfiots  from  crimson  and  other 
velvets. 

1.  Take  a  pint  of  lye  made  of  vine  branch  ashes,  in 
which  dissolve  half  an  ounce  of  alum  dregs.  When  set- 
tled, strain  it  through  a  cloth  ;  then  take  another  drachm 
of  alum,  half  a  drachm  of  Spanish,  and  as  much  of  soft 
soap,  a  scruple  of  common,  and  half  a  drachni  of  ammo- 
niac salts,  a  calfs  gall,  and  a  little  calendine  juice-  All 
being  well  mixed,  strain  and  keep  it  for  use. 

2.  Before  using,  take  the  quantity  you  think  to  have 
need  of  in  a  cup,  in  which  put  a  little  brazil  wood  and 
hourre  d'  ecarlatte  (or  goaf's  hair,  from  the  dyers,  dyed 
with  madder)  to  boil  a  bubble  or  two,  then  strain  through 
a  cloth.  In  that  state,  your  preparation  will  be  fit  to  take 
aff  the  spots  from  crirason,  either  cloth  or  velvet. 


182  SECRETS  INARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

J^ote.  For  cloths  or  velvets  of  other  colours,  tinge  your 
liquor  with  hourre^  or  goat*s  hair  of  the  same  colour. 

XX  V.     To  take  off  an  oil  sfiotfrom  cloth. 

Take  oil  of  tartar,  which  put  on  the  spot,  then  wash  it 
immediately  with  lukewarm  water,  then  with  two  or  three 
cold  waters,  and  it  will  be  perfectly  cleansed. 

XXVI.  A  com/iQuiiion  of  soa/i  to  take  off  all  sorts  of 

s/iots. 

1  Take  a  pound  of  Venetian  white  soap,  six  yolks  of 
eee:s  and  half  a  spoonful  of  salt  pounded.  Incorporate  all 
together  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  the  juice  from  the 
leaves  of  white  beet  Make  this  composition  into  small 
cakes,  which  dry  in  the  shade. 

2-  To  use  them,  wet  the  place  of  the  cloth  where  the 
spot  i.s,  with  clear  water,  and  rub  it  over  on  both  sides 
with  the  said  soap. then  washing  it  the  spot  will  disappear. 

XXVII.  To  take  the  sfiotsfrom  a  white  silk  or  crimson 

velvet. 

Wet  the  place  well  with  brandy  of  three  rectifications 
or  with  the  best  spirit  of  wine,  then  smear  it  over  with 
the  white  of  an  ee^g,  and  set  it  to  dry  m  the  sun.  When 
drv  wash  the  place  with  clean  water,  passing  and  squee- 
zing it  betv  een  your  fihgerS}  and  if  the  spot  is  not  gone  at 
the  first  operation,  it  will  not  fail  at  the  second,  therefore 
renew  it. 


C  183  ] 

CHAP.  XVII. 

ESSAYS  ON  VARIOUS  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

I.  A  very  strong  glue 

SOAK  the  finest  ichthyocolla  (isinplass)  twenty-four 
hours  in  spirits  nf  wine  or  strong  brandy  ;  then  boil  all 
very  gently  together,  continually  stirring  it  that  it  may 
not  burn,  until  it  becomes  one  liquor.  Then  strain  it  while 
hot  through  a  coarse  linen  cloth,  into  a  vessel  whtre  it 
may  be  kept  close  stopped ;  a  gentle  heat  will  melt  this 
glue  for  to  use- 

II.  Another  glue. 

Glue  is  made  in  Europe  of  the  ears,  feet,  trimmings, 
sinnews  and  scrapings  of  the  skins  of  oxen,  calves,  sheep, 
&cold  leaiher,and  fresh  or  raw  hides  n  ixed  are  nanufac- 
tur^  d  together ;  and  this  mixture  is"  said  to  yield  one  third 
of  its  weight  in  good  strong  glue.  The  best  glue  is  from 
the  hides  of  old  animals.  WhoU  skins  are  very  seldom 
used,  unless  they  are  much  injijied  by  the  worm,  ratted, 
or  otherwise  rendered  unfit  to  make  leather ;  but  the 
smallest  pitcesare  saved  for  the  purpose. 

In  making  glue  of  pieces  of  fresh  skins,  let  them  be  steep- 
ed in  water  for  tw o  or  three  days-  Dvied  hic'e  may  require 
longer  tinne,  and  bits  of  leather  much  longer  V\  hile 
soaki!>g  they  should  be  stirred  occasionally.  Then  put 
them  to  drain  in  ha  id  barrows  with  grated  bottoms,  or  in 
boxes  with  sloping  sides  and  grafed  bi'toms-  VV  hen 
drained,  let  them  be  well  washed  in  several  waters.  The 
ears  and  o^hc-r  dirty  parts  should  be  steeped  and  '^a.shed 
by  themselves.  After  they  be  Wi  shed  clean,  put  them  in- 
to a  weak  lime-watrr,  in  iron  hooped  tubs  Leather  will 
require  to  be  kept  in  a  weak  lime-water  a  considerable 
time,  and  a  little  fresh  lime  should  be  added  occasirnally. 
Allnmed  skins,  tallowed,  gr.-asy.  Moody,  or  hairy  skins 
should  be  put  into  a  strong-.-r  lime-water,  and  kep«  longer 
in  it.  They  sometimes  rcqutie  to  be  tpken  cut.  so  as  to 
permit  the  iime  to  drvon  the  n, and  to  remain  for  a  consider- 
able time  ;  after  which  they  must  be  again  soaked,  and 
well  stirred;  then  press  them  out  as  dry  as  possible,  and 
pnt  them  into  a  copper  kettle  h^r  boiling,  at  the  bottom 
ot  which  kettle  should  be  a  wooden  gratt .  The  copper 
should  be  filled  with  the  materials  pressed  close,  and  as 
much  water  poured  on  as  will  run  among  the  pieces. 
Make  a  moderate  fire,  which  increase  by  degrees,  till 
it  boils.    As  the  materials  melt  into  glue,  some  decrease 


184         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  8cc. 

•  s 

the  fire  without  stirring  them  ;  others  stir  them  as  they 
dissolve.  When  the  glue,  on  coolir.g,  forms  a  pretty  thick 
jelly,  it  is  done.  The  ti>ie  of  boiling  is  from  twelve  to  fif- 
teen hours,  according  to  the  fire.  Violent  heat  is  to  be 
avoided. 

After  this  a  box  is  made  with  wooden  gratings  for  the 
bottom  ;  the  inside  of  the  grating  bottom  it  is  to  be  lined 
with  horse  hair  cloth,  and  the  box  to  be  placed  over  a  large 
tub  ;  the  glue  is  to  be  passed  througii  this  horse  hair  cloth, 
or  strainer,  quickly,  while  it  is  very  hot.  The  dregs  are 
left  to  drain  3ometime,and  are  called  by  the  workmen  glue 
dung  ;  they  make  an  excellent  fuel,  mixed  with  wood- 
The  room  shpuld  be  kept  warm  while  the  glue  is  settling. 
In  the  tub  there  should  be  cocks  to  draw  off  the  hot  liquid 
glue.  The  first  s^lue  will  be  brightest,  but  the  last  will  be 
equally  good.  Through  the  cocks  it  must  ran  into  flat 
moulds,  previously  wet.  When  cool,  cui  it  out  with  a 
wet  knife  into  squares,  and  hang  it  on  a  line  to  drv  and 
harden,  in  a  draught  of  air.  Some  place  it  on  a  net,  hung 
on  four  posts,  turning  it  occasionally.  Ten  days  of  dry 
weather,  or  fifteen  days  of  wet  (under  cover)  are  requi- 
red in  Europe  ;  but  less  time  will  dry  it  in  America.  To 
polish  the  cakes,  wet  them,  and  rub  them  with  new  lime. 
The  best  glue  has  few  dark  spots,  and  no  bad  smell,  and 
shines  when  broken  To  try  glue,  put  it  into  cool-  water 
for  three  or  four  days,  where  it  must  not  dissolve>  but  when 
dried  must  preserve  its  weight. 

III.  A fiarchment  glue. 

Put  two  or  three  pounds  of  scrapings  or  cuttings  ofparch- 
ment  into  a  bucket  of  water  ;  boil  the  whole  till  it  be  re- 
duced to  half.  Pass  it  through  an  open  linen,  and  then 
let  the  liquor  cool,  when  it  will  be  parchment  glucr 

IV.  A  streng paste. 

Common  paste  is  made  of  wheat  flour  boiled  in  water  till 
it  be  of  a  gluttenous  or  viscid  consistance  ;  but  when  used 
by  book-binders  and  paper  hangers,  it  is  requisite  to  mix 
a  fourth,  fifth,  or  sixch  of  the  weight  of  the  flour  of  pow- 
dred  resin  or  rosin  ;  and  where  it  is  wanted  still  more  te- 
nacious, gum  arabic.  or  any  kind  of  size,  may  be  added. 
In  order  to  prevent  the  pa.ste  ust  d  in  papering  rooms,  &c» 
from  being  gnawed  by  rats  and  mice,  powdered  glass  is 
sometimes  mixed  with  it.  But  the  most  effectual  and  ea- 
sy remedy  is  to  diisolve  a  little  .sublimate,  say  a  drachm 
to  a  quart  of  the  water  used  in  making  the  paste,  which 
will  hinder  not  only  rats  and  mice,  but  any  other  kind  of 
vermin  and  insects  trom  preying  on  the  paste* 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         185 

V.  Process  for  dying-  leather  red  and  yellow,  as  firac- 
tised  i7i  Turkey,  ivith  directions  for  fireparing  and  tan- 
ning the  skins,  as  communicated  by  Mr'  PhiLiiifio,  a  na- 
tive of  Armenia  s  ivho  received  from  the  society  for  the 
encouragement  of  arts  in  London,  one  hundred  fiounds 
sterling,  and  also  the  gold  medal  of  the  society,  as  a  re- 
ivardfor  discovering  this  secret' 

First  preparation  of  the  skins,  both  for  red  and  yellow  leather, 
by  dressing  them  in  lime. 

Let  the  skins,  dried  with  the  hair  on,  be  first  laid  to 
soak  in  clean  water  for  three  days  ;  let  them  then  be  bro- 
ken over  the  flesh  side.put  into  fresh  water  two  days^long- 
er,  and  afterwards  hungup  to  drain  for  half  an  hour.  Let 
them  now  be  broken  on  the  flesh  side,  limed  in  cold  lime 
on  the  same  side,  and  doubled  together  with  the  grain  side 
outward.  In  this  state,  they  must  be  hung  up  within  doors, 
over  a  frame,  for  five  or  six  days,  till  the  hair  be  loose, 
■which  must  then  be  taken  off",  and  the  skins  be  returned 
into  the  lime  pit,  for  about  three  weeks.  Take  them  out» 
and  let  them  be  well  worked, flesh  and  grain,every  sixthor 
seventh  day  during  that  time ;  after  which  let  them  be 
washed  ten  times  in  clear  water,  changing  the  water  each 
time.  They  are  next  to  be  prepared  in  drench,  as  here- 
after mentioned. 

Second  preparation  of  the  skins,  for  both  the  red  and  yellovt  djest 
by  drenching. 

After  squeezing  the  water  outof  the  skins.put  them  into  a 
mixture  of  bran  and  water,warm  as  new  milk  in  the  follow- 
ing proportion,  viz-about  threepounds  of  bran  for  five  skins, 
and  water  sufficient  to  make  the  mixture  moderatelyflued, 
which  will  be  about  a  gallon  to  each  pound  of  bran.  In  this 
drench  let  the  skins  lie  three  days,at  the  end  of  which  time 
they  must  be  well  worked,  and  afterwards  returned  into 
the  dronch  two  days  longer ;  they  must  then  be  taken  out 
and  rubbed  between  the  hands,  the  water  squeezed  from 
them,  and  the  bran  scraped  off  clean  from  both  sides  of 
the  skin.  After  this  they  must  be  again  washed  ten  times 
in  clear  water,  and  the  water  squeezed  out  of  them. 

Thus  far  the  preparatory  process  of  all  the  skins  is  the 
same,  whether  intended  to  be  dyed  red  or  yellow  ;  but 
afterwards  those  which  are  to  be  dyed  red.must  be  treat- 
ed as  follows : 

Preparations,  in  honey  and  bran,  of  the  skins  that  are  to  be  dyed, 
red. 
Mix.one  pound  of  honey  with  three  pints  of  lukewarm 
R 


186         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c. 

water,  and  stir  them  together  till  all  the  honey  is  dissolved^ 
Then  add  two  double-handfuls  of  bran,  and  taking  fouf 
skins(for  which  the  above  quantity  of  mixture  willbe  suffi- 
cient) and  workthenn  well  in  it  one  after  another.  After- 
wards fold  up  each  skin  separately,  into  a  round  form,  with 
the  flesh  side  inwards,  and  lay  them  in  an  earthen  pan,  or 
other  proper  vessel  ;  if  in  the  summer,  by  the  side  of 
each  other,  but  in  the  winter  on  the  top  of  each  other. 
Place  the  vessel  in  a  sloping  position,  so  that  such  parts 
of  the  ftuid  as  may  spontaneously  drain  from  the  skins  may 
pass  from  them.  An  acid  fermentation  will  then  rise  in 
the  liquor,  and  the  skins  will  smell  considerably.  In  this 
state  they  must  continue  for  seven  or  eight  days,  but  the 
moistwre  that  drains  from  them  must  be  poure;!  off  once 
or  twice  a  day,  as  occasion  may  require.  After  this,  a 
farther  preparation  in  salt  is  necessary,  which  must  be 
performed  in  the  following  manner. 

Preparation,  in  salt,  for  the  skins  to  be  dytd  red. 

After  the  skins  have  been  fermented  in  the  honey  and 
bran,  as  before  mentioned,  let  them  be  taken  out  of  that 
mixture  on  the  eighth  or  ninth  day,  and  well  rubbed  with 
dry  common  sea  salt,  in  the  proportion  of  a  bout  half  a 
pound  to  each  skin,  the  salt  must  be  well  worked  and  rub- 
bed v.'ith  them.  This  will  make  them  contract  again,  and 
part  with  a  further  considerable  quantity  of  moisture, 
■which  must  be  squeezed  out  by  drawing  each  skin  sepa- 
rately through  the  hand.  They  must  next  be  scraped 
clean  on  both  sides  from  the  bran,  superfluous  salt  and 
moisture  that  may  adhere  to  them.  After  which  dried 
salt  must  be  strewed  on  the  gram  side,  and  well  rubbed  in 
with  the  hand.  They  are  then  to  be  doubled  with  the 
flesh  sjde  outward,  lengthways,  from  head  to  tail,  and  a 
little  more  dry  salt  must  be  thinly  strewed  over  the  flesh 
side,  and  rubbed  in  ;  for  the  two  last  operations,  about  a 
pound  and  a  half  of  salt  will  be  sufficient  for  each  skin. 
They  must  then  be  put,  thus  folded  on  each  other,  be- 
tween two  clean  boards,placed  sloping  breadthwise,  and  a 
heavy  weight  laid  on  the  upper  board,  in  order  gradually 
to  press  out  -what  moisture  they  will  thus  part  with.  In 
this  state  of  pressure  they  must  be  continued  two  days,  or 
longer,  till  it  is  convenient  to  dye  them,  for  which  they 
will  then  be  duly  prepared. 
Preparations  of  the  red,  dye,  in  a  proper  proportion  for  four  skins. 

Put  eight  gallons  of  water  into  a  copper,  with  seven  oun- 
ces of  Hheuan,  the  root  of  alkanet  is  also  used,  tied  up  in 
a  linen  bag-  Light  a  fire  under  the  copper,  and  when  the 
water  has  boiled  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  take  out  the 
bagof  shenan»  and  put  into  the  boiling  flaid  or  lixivium, 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         187 

1st.  two  drachms  of  alum  ;  2clly.  two  drachms  pomegra- 
nate bark;  3dly-  three  quarters  of  an  ounce  of  turmeric  ; 
4thlv.  three  ounces  of  cochineal ;  5thly.  two  ounces  of  loaf 
sugar  Let  the  whole  mixtare  boil  about  six  minutes,  then 
coVer  the  fire,  and  take  out  a  quart  of  hquor,  putting  it 
into  a  flat  earthern  pan ;  as  when  it  is  as  cool  as  new  milk, 
take  one  skin,  folded  lengthwise,  the  grain  side  outwards, 
and  dip  it  in  tlie  liquor,  rubbing  it  gently  with  the  lunnds 
Then  taking  cut  the  skin,  hang  it  up  to  drain,  and  throw 
away  the  superfluous  dye-  Proceed  in  the  same  manner 
with  the  remaining  three  skins  ;  and  repeat  the  operation 
of  each  skin  separately  eight  tim.es,  sqeezing  tb.e  skins  by 
drawing  them  through  the  hands  before  eacli  fresh  dip- 
ping Lay  them  now  on  one  side  of  a  large  pan,  set  slop- 
ing, to  drain  off  as  much  of  the  moisture  as  will  run  Irom 
them  without  pressure,  for  about  two  hours,  or  till  they 
are  cold  ;  then  tan  them  as  hereafter  directed. 

Tannivg  the  red  skins. 

Powder  four  ounces  of  the  best  white  galls  in  a  marble 
mortar,  sifting  it  through  a  fine  sieve.  Mix  the  powder 
"with  about  three  quirts  of  water,  and  work  the  skins  well 
in  this  mixture  for  half  an  hour  or  more,  folding  up  the 
skins  fourfold.  Let  them  lie  in  this  tan  for  twenty-four 
hours,  when  they  must  be  worked  again  as  before  ;  then 
taken  out,  scraped  c'ean  on  both  sides  from  the  first  galls 
and  put  into  a  like  quantity  of  fresh  galls  and  water  In 
this  fresh  mixture  they  must  be  again  well  uorked  for 
three  quarters  of  an  hour  ;  then  folded  up  as  before,  and 
left  in  the  fresh  tan  for  three  days-  On  the  fourth  day  they 
must  be  taken  out,  u  ashed  clean  from  the  galls  in  seven 
or  eight  fresh  quantities  of  water,  and  then  hung  up  to  dry, 

Marnier  of  dressing^  the  skins  after  they  are  tanned. 

When  the  skins  have  been  treated  as  above,  and  are 
very  near  dry,  they  should  bt  scraptd  with  the  proper 
instrument  or  scraper  on  the  fltsh  side,  to  reduce  them  to 
a  proper  degree  of  thickness.  They  are  then  to  be  laid  on 
a  smooth  board, and  glazed  by  rubbing  them  with  a  smooth 
glass  ;  after  which  they  must  be  oiled,  by  rubbing  them 
•with  olive  by  means  of  a  linnen  rag,  in  the  proportion  of 
one  ounce  and  a  half  of  oil,  for  four  skins  ;  they  are  then 
to  be  grained  on  a  graining  board,  lengthwise,  breadth- 
wise, and  from  corner  to  corner. 

Preparation  -with  galls  for  the  skins  to  be  dyed  yello'vc' 

After  the  four  skins  are  taken  out  of  the  drench  of  bran, 
and  clean  washed  as  before  directed  in  the  second  article, 
they  mast  be  well  worked  half  an  hour  or  more,  in  a  mix- 


188         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  See. 

ture  of  a  pound  and  a  half  of  the  best  white  galls,  finely 
powdered,  with  two  quarts  of  clean  water.  The  skins  are 
then  to  be  separately  doubled  lengthwise,  rolled  up  with 
the  flesh  side  outwards,  laid  in  the  rraxture,  and  close 
pressed  down  on  each  other,  in  which  state  they  must 
continue  two  whole  days.  On  the  third  dav,  let  tliem  be 
again  worked  in  the  tan,  and  afterwards  scraped  clean 
from  the  galis  with  an  ivory  or  brass  instrument,  (for  no 
iron  m.ust  touch  them.)  They  must  then  be  put  into  a 
fresh  tan,  made  of  two  pounds  of  galls  finely  powdered, 
and  about  three  quarts  of  water,  and  well  worked  therein 
fifteen  times  After  this  they  must  be  doubled,  rolled  up 
as  before,  and  1-iid  in  the  second  tan  for  three  davs-  On 
the  third  day  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  whte  ^ea  salt  must 
be  worked  into  each  skin  and  the  skins  doubled  up  as  be- 
fore, and  returned  into  the  tan  till  the  day  following,  when 
they  are  to  be  taken  out,  and  well  washed  six  times  in 
cold  v/ater  and  four  times  in  water  lukewarm.  The  wa- 
ter must  be  then  well  squeezed  out,  by  laving  the  skins 
under  pressure  for  about  haU  an  hour.between  two  boards, 
with  a  weight  of  two  or  three  hundred  pounds  laid  upon 
the  uppermost  board,  when  they  will  be  ready  for  the  dye 

Preparation  of  the  yello%v  dye^  in  the  proper  proportion  '^or/our' 
siins. 

Mix  six  ounces  of  cassiare  gehira,  or  degenira,  or  the 
berries  of  the  eastern  rhamnub  buck  thorn;  sumach  is  also 
used,  with  the  same  quantity  of  alum,  and  pound  them  to- 
gether till  they  be  fine,  in  a  mjarble  or  brass  mortar,  with 
a  brass  pe>tle  Then  dividing  the  materials  thus  powder- 
ed, into  thrte  equal  pans,  of  four  ounces  each,  put  one  of 
those  three  parts  into  a  pint  and  a  half  of%oiling  water, 
in  a  china  or  earthen  vessel,  and  stir  the  mixture  togeth- 
er. Let  the  fluid  dve,  thus  prepared,  stand  to  cool  till  it 
Will  not  scald  the  hand  ;  then  spreading  one  of  the  skins 
flat  on  a  table,  in  a  warm  room,  with  the  grain  side  upper- 
most, pour  a  fourth  part  of  the  mixture  first  made,  over 
the  upper,  or  grain  side,  spreading  it  equally  over  with  the 
hand  and  rubbmg  it  well  in.  Afterwards  do  the  like  with 
the  other  three  skins,  for  which  the  mixture  first  made 
will  be  sufficient.  This  operation  must  be  repeated  twice 
more  on  each  skin,  separately,  with  the  remaining  eight 
ounces  of  the  powder  of  the  berries  and  allum,  with  the 
abovementioned  due  proportion  of  hot  water  put  to  them 
as  before  directed. 

The  skins,  when  dyed,  are  to  be  hung  up  on  a  wooden 
frame  without  being  folded,  with  the  grain  side  outwards, 
about  three  quarters  of  an  our  to  drain,  when  they  must 
be  carried  to  a  river  or  stream  of  running  water,  and  well 
washed  therein  six  times  or  more^   After  this  they  must 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.        1H9 

be  put  under  pressure  for  about  an  hour,  till  the  water 
be.  squeezed  out ;  afterwards  the  skins  must  be  hung  up 
to  dry  in  a  warm  room.  This  being  done,  the  skins  are 
to  be  dressed  and  grained  ^as  before  directed  for  those 
dyed  red  ;   except  the  oiling,  which  must  be  omitted. 

"VI.  Another  process  of  mamifacturing  and  dying   morocco,  th'c 
quantity  of  materials  calculated  for  36  skins. 

Fold  the  skins  in  the  middle  lengthwise,  tie  them  six  in 
a  bundle,  and  put  them  in  the  lime  vat ;  when  sufficiently- 
limed,  take  them  out  rinse  them  in  clear  water,  drain 
them,  and  hang  them  in  the  shade  to  dry,  till  the  hair  will 
come  off.  After  carefully  taking  off  the  hair,  put  in  the 
lime  vat  again  to  remain  from  fifteen  to  twenty  days;  they 
are  then  to  be  rinsed,  and  passed  repeatedly  through  a  de- 
coction prepared  of  30  pounds  dogs  dung,  and  an  equal 
quantity  of  water.  As  soon  as  the  skins  are  thus  gradual- 
ly impregnated,  they  are  thrown  into  a  large  vessel  for 
the  space  of  twelve  hours,  after  which  they  are  cleaned 
with  pure  water,  and  immersed  for  seven  or  eight  days  in 
a  watery  decoction  made  of  bran. 

The  skins  are  now  wrung,  and  thoroughly  washed  in 
clear  water,  to  render  them  soft  and  pliable  ;  next  they 
are  cured  by  spreading  a  thick  layer  of  common  sea  salt,in 
the  proportion  of  aboiJt  half  a  pound  to  each  skin,  and  pil- 
ing them  up,  till  they  are  rendered  sufficiently  suple.  The 
last  process  which  the  skins  undergo,  previous  to  being 
dyed,  is  immersion  in  ahquor  prepared  by  boiling  twenty- 
four  ounces  of  dried  figs  for  each  skin,  in  a  copper,  (it  is 
believed  that  treacle  molasses  would  answer  the  same  pur* 
pose  as  figs)  in  which  they  remain  till  they  are  about  to  be 
suspended  in  the  air  for  drying  ;  lastly,  they  are  dip|ied 
in  a  solution  of  alum,  that  disposes  them  for  the  dye. 

The  red  colour  is  prepared  by  mixing  together  various 
articles  in  the  following  proportions,  which  are  required 
for  a  parcel  of  36  skins-  Cochineal,  130  drachms;  round 
suchet,  (crocus  indicus,)  45  ;  gutta  gambia,  15  ;  gum  ara- 
bic,  10  ;  white  alum,  pulverised,  10  ;  bark  of  the  pome- 
granate tree,  10;  citron  juice,  2  ;  common  water,  clear 
and  good,  120  pounds. 

The  alum  is  gradually  added  to  the  other  articles,  which 
are  thrown  into  a  copper,  where  they  should  be  boiled 
for  about  two  hours,  till  one  tenth  part  of  the  water  be 
consumed.  In  this  mixture  the  skins  are  repeatedly  im- 
mersed, and  when  suffi.cientjy  imbued  with  the  colour, 
they  are  dried,  and  again  steeped  in  a  vessel,  containing  3 
pounds  of  hot  water  (for  every  two  skins)  together  with 
R  2 


190         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

one  pound  of  sumach,  and  the  same  quantity  of  gall- nutS; 
pulverised  and  sifted.  As  soon  as  the  skins  are  complete- 
ly impregnated  with  this  liquor,  they  are  slightly  rubbed 
over  with  a  sponge  dipped  in  pure  water,  and  suspended 
three  quarters  of  an  hour  to  drain.  They  are  now  carried 
to  a  river,  or  in  running  water,  where  they  are  repeatedly 
rinsed,  then  pressed  with  weights  in  order  to  extract  the 
moisture,  and  hung  up  in  a  warm  room  to  dry-  The  last 
process  which  red  morocco  leather  undergoes,  is  that  of 
pohshing  ;  this  is  affected  by  various  wooden  instruments, 
that  contribute  at  the  same  time  to  remove  such  of  the 
particles  ot  the  gall  and  sumach  as  may  adhere  to  the  skin^ 

The  yellow  colour  is  prepared  in  a  manner  nearly  simi- 
lar to  that  just  described  ;  the  conjmon  avignon  or  yellow 
berries  (grain  de  Avignon)  being  substituted  for  cochineal 
and  employed  in  similar  proportions. 

The  only  variation  between  the  two  processes  of  dyeing 
red  and  vellow,  is,  that  the  red  is  tinged  with  the  colouring 
matter  before  it  is  worked  or  polished  with  the  wooden 
instruments  ;  whereas  the  polishing  is  done  to  the  skins 
intended  for  yellow,  previous  to  dyeing  thera. 

VII.  On  the  use  of  acids  in  bleeching. 

The  use  of  acids,  in  bleeching  of  linen  has  been  long 
known.  Formerly  milk  was  chiefly  "employed  ;  but  it  had 
several  inconveniences.  The  quantity  requisite  could 
scarcely  be  obtamed,  its  effects  was  slow,  and  containing 
animal  matter,  it  was  apt  to  s])oil  the  cloth. 

It  is  now  known  that  the  fossil  acids,  when  properly  dil- 
uted with  water.answer  much  better.and  do  more  in  a  few 
hours  in  whitening  cloth,  than  animal  acids  do  in  a  week, 
ii#facilitating  the  operation.  It  was  at  first  feared,  that 
mineral  acids  would  corrode,  or  burn  the  linen  substances. 
Experience  has  dispelled  these  fears,  and  convinced  the 
bleachers,  that  by  proper  management,  the  danger  is  next 
to  none. 

According  to  the  strength  of  acids,  they  must  be  mixed 
w"'th  water,  sometimes  to  seven  hundered  times  their  bulk. 

The  vitriolic  acid  is  that  which  has  been  universally 
employed  ;  as  it  could  be  bought  in  large  quantities,  and 
at  a  small  expence. 

The  muriatic  acid  being  now  sold  nearly  as  cheap  as 
the  vitriolic,  and  answering  in  a  superior  degree,  will,  no 
doubt,  be  generally  used. 

VIII.  *^n  excellent  dye^  the  basis  of  many  colours^ 
A^Iecoction  of  the  seeds  of  red  Trefoil  is  mixed  with 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         391 

different  mineral  substances ;  the  dyes  produced  are  very 
beautiful,  and  of  a  threat  variety.  Among  these  are  yel- 
low and  green  of  different  shades,  as  also  citron  and  orange 
colours. 

These  dyes  arewell  adapted  to  woollen  andcotton  man- 
ufactures ;  they  resist  the  action  of  the  substances,  with 
•which  trials  are  usually  made,  much  better  than  the  com- 
mon dyes  ;  and  promise  many  advantages,  if  adopted,  to 
the  manufactures  of  this  country. 

IX.     Discovery  for  dyeing  cotton  and  hnen,  in  scarlet,  crimson, 
and  other  colours. 

Cotton  or  linen,  either  in  yarn  or  in  the  piece,  should  be 
perfectly  wet  with  hot  water,  and  then  wrung  out,  as  is 
the  common  practice.  This  being  done,  it  must  be  per- 
fectly soaked  in  a  solution  of  tjn,  diluted  with  an  equal 
quantity  of  clear  soft  wat-  r  The  cotton  or  linen  being  so 
far  prepared,  must  be  wrung  out,  but  not  forcibly  ;  then  it 
is  to  be  nearly  dried,  lying  horizontally  upon  a  hurdle,  with 
a  double  linen  sheet  between,  and  covered  with  the  same. 
The  solution  of  tin  being  for  scarlet,  must  be  made  of 
nitrous  acid,  and  not  of  aquatortis-  But  for  crimson,  aqua- 
fortis must  be  used,  and  the  bloom  is  to  be  given,  aftt^r  it 
comes  out  of  the  dye,  by  a  small  quantity  of  sal  ammoniac 
and  pearl-ashes  dissolved  perfectly  in  warm  water,  but 
this  water  must  not  be  more  than  milk  warm.  The  col- 
ouring vat,  for  the  scarlet  or  crimson,  is  simply  cochineal 
in  water,  no  hotter  than  the  hand  cai.  bear  ;  and  as  veg- 
etable matter  receives  only  the  small  particles  of  the  co- 
lour from  the  nature  of  its  pores>  two  ounces  to  a  pound 
of  the  materials  dyed,  may  be  necessary.  But  cotton,  or 
linen,  fresh  prepared,  will  draw  from  the  same  vat,  heat- 
ed as  before,  all  the  inferior  shades  from  scarlet  and  crim- 
son, and,  if  any  colour  still  remains  in  the  vat,  it  may  be 
taken  out  entirely,  by  wool  prepared  in  the  usual  manner. 
The  same  preparation  of  tin  serves  for  the  green,  and  yel- 
low, with  the  same  materials  only  as  are  used  by  the  dyers, 
except  the  best  yellow,  which  is  produced  from  turmeric. 

It  is  n<;Ces8ary  to  observe,  that  after  the  preparation  of 
tin  has  been  used  for  scarlet  or  crimson,  the  residue  conti- 
nues sufficiently  strong  for  green  and  yellow,  even  after  it 
has  been  kept  for  a  considerable  time. 

N.  B  To  make  the  best  solution  of  tin  with  nitrous  acid, 
it  is  U'^cessary  to  have  the  strong  smoaking  spirit,  to  which 
an  equal  quantity  of  the  purest  river  water  must  be  added, 
and  the  proportions  of  the  following  ingredients  are  to  the 
weight  of  spirits  ;  one  sixteenth  sal  ammoniac ;  one  thir- 
ty-second refined  nitre,  dissolved  by  a  little  at  a  time,  in 
this  aquanegia.    Dissolve  also,  one  eighth  of  granulated 


192         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

grain  tin,  by  small  quantities,  to«prevent  too  great  an  ebul- 
lition, which  would  weaken  the  solution  considerably. 

The  ingredients  and  proportions  are  the  same,  when  a 
solution  is  to  be  made  with  aquafortis  ;  but  that  spirit,  in 
general  will  not  bear  any  water,  when  a  perfect  solution 
is  intended. 

X.  Simple  method  of  trying  the  quality  ofgunpoivder. 

Put  upon  dry  white  paper  a  thimble  full  of  powder  ; 
lightly  touch  it  with  a  burning  coal-  If  it  be  excellent, 
every  grain  will  instantly  rise  in  smoke,  only  leaving  on 
the  paper  a  round  spot,  pearl  colour.  If  bad^  it  burns  the 
paper.  The  mean  effects  between  these  two  extremes  will 
exactly  show  the  quality.  The  powder  burning  the  paper 
a  little,  is  better  than  that  which  burns  it  much  ;  only 
blackens  it,  it  is  better  than  if  it  burns  it. 

By  this  trial,  the  defects  in  its  composition  may  also  be 
discovered'  If  it  blacken  the  pnper,  it  contains  too  great 
a  proportion  of  coal ;  does  it  leave  yellow  spots,  too  much 
sulphur  ;  if  their  remain  on  the  paper  small  grains  like  pin 
heads,  and  they  should  burn  by  applying  fire,  it  is  nitre, 
and  the  powder  has  not  been  well  pulverized.  If  these  do 
not  burn,  the  nitre  has  not  been  properly  refined. 

XL  On  dressing  sheep  skins» 

Tanned  sheep  skins,  at  this  day,  are  in  great  demand 
for  a  variety  of  uses;  but  for  want  of  proper  attention  in 
taking  off^the  wool,  the  skin  is  sometimes  so  far  injured  as 
scarcely  to  be  worth  dressing.  The  following  method  will 
be  found  beneficial.  As  soon  as  the  skin  is  taken  off"  the 
sheep,  spread  it  on  a  horse  or  cow,  and  in  six  or  eight 
hours  the  wool  will  come  off  better  than  any  other  way« 
After  the  wool  is  off,  spread  the  skin  on  a  pole,  and  let  it 
hang  in  the  shade  (as  the  sun  is  very  detrimental  to  it)  till 
convenient  to  send  it  to  a  tanner. — This  practice  will  ren- 
der sheep  skins  of  four  times  the  value  they  now  are,  and 
save  thousands  of' pounds  to  the  country. 

XII.  To  prevent  worms  injuring  booh. 

During  the  months  of  July,  August  and  September,  but 
most  in  August,  there  is  a  very  small  insect  that  deposits 
its  eggs  in  books,especially  on  those  leaves  nearest  the  cov- 
er. Thesegradually  producea  sort  of  mites, similar  to  what 
are  produced  in  cheese,  which  afterwards  change  their 
state.and  become  beetles.  When  the  time  of  their  transfer  • 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c.         193 

oiation  approaches  they  eattheir  way  through  till  they  gain 
the  extremity  of  the  book.  To  guard  against  their  attacks, 
it  is  recommended  to  use  mineial  salts,  to  wh  ch  most  in- 
sects have  a  great  aversion.  A  composite  salt  of  alum  and^ 
vitriol,  are  proper  for  this  pui  pose,  a  small  quantity  of 
•whxh  may  be  u.ed  with  the  pa.ste  made  use  of  by  book- 
binders. It  is  also  advised  that  book-binders  make  their 
paste  of  sturch  instead  of  flour.  A  little  pulverised  alum, 
should  also  be  strew  eft  between  the  book  and  its  cover 
and  also  on  the  shelves  were  books  are  kept. 

XIII.     ^7iother  method,  by  paste  made  of  chesnurs. 

For  this  paste  see  Art-xliii.  Chap,  xviii.  on  the  culture  of 
the  chesnut  tree. 

XlVj     A  p'-eparaliottjhr  the   hatv. 

Take  of  olive  oil  and  spirit  of  rosemary,  equal  parts ; 
add  to  these  a  little  oil  ot  nutmeg.  Rub  the  hair  every 
night  with  a  little  of  this  liniment,  increasing  the  propor- 
tion gradually,  aod  every  purpose  of  the  most  boasted 
preparation  will  be  answered. 

XV.     On  making  hair  powder- 

Hair  powder  is  generally  prepared  from  starch  made 
of  flour,  which,  after  being  thoroughly  dried,  is  ground  and 
passed  through  the  finest  sieves  If  pure,  it  should  be  per- 
fectly white,  and  possess  no  smell.  It  is  frequently  scent- 
ed with  the  essences  of  jessamine,  violets,  roses,  &c. 

XVI.      To  make  London  Court  Plaster. 

Dissolve  the  best  isinglass  (previously  cHiit  in  small  pie- 
ces) in  any  proof  spirit.so  as  to  obtain  a  strong  viscid  solu- 
tion ;  then  take  taffety,  or  other  thin  silk,  and  spread  the 
liquor  uniformly  over  it,  with  a  soft  brush ;  when  thi  first 
coat  is  perfectly  dry,  repeat  the  application  a  second  and 
third  time,  till  at  length  the  whole  suriace  sould  be  sparing- 
ly anointed  with  Peruvian  balsam. 

XVII*     Chinese    method   of  making    cloth,    (yc,  water-proof. 

Dissolve  white  wax  in  spirits  of  turpentine,  in  the  pro- 
portion of  one  ounce  of  wax  to  one  quart  of  spirits  of  tur- 
pentine. Let  the  cloth  be  dipped  in  this  solution,  and  then 
be  suspended  in  the  air  till  it  be  perfectly  dry  By  this 
method,  the  most  open  muslin,  as  well  as  the  strongest 


194  SECRET  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

cloths,  may  be  rendered  impenetrable  to  the  heaviest 
sh  jwers ;  nor  will  such  composition  fill  up  the  intercices 
of  the  finest  latvn,  or  in  the  least  degree  affect  the  most 
brilliant  colours. 

XVII J.-    To  make  -utrdiif reuse. 

The  best  verdigrease  is  mostly  manufactured  at  Mont- 
pelier,  in  France,  by  forming  altefnate  strata  of  copper 
plates,  and  the  husks,  of  grapes,  during  ther  vinous  fer- 
mentation ;  whtrn  they  speedily  become  acid,  and  corrode 
the  copper.  After  the  plates  have  stood  in  such  situa- 
tion f  )r  a  sufficient  time,  they  are  moistened  with  water, 
and  exposed  to  the  air,  the  verdigrease  being  successive- 
ly scraped  off  as  it  collects  on  the  surface  In  this  state 
the  verdigrease,  or  acetite,  is  called  fresh>  or  moist  verdi- 
grease, hriving  the  form  of  paste  ;  which  after  triturating 
it  in  proper  troughs,  is  put  in  bags  and  dried  in  the  sun. 

Verdigrease,  is  chiefly  consumed  for  striking  a  black 
colour,when  combined  with  a  decoction  of  logwood;  but,as 
it  is  apt  to  corrode  the  texture  of  the  cloth,  a  substitute 
has  been  discovered  for  it,  in  dving  black.  Dissolve  se- 
parately equal  parts  by  weight  of  vitriol  of  copper,  and 
potash,  or  other  strong  alkaline  salt:  the  solutions  are 
then  to  be  gradually  mixed,  and  if  the  vitrid  be  saturated 
the  water  on  the  surface  v/ill  become  trar.sparent  on  add- 
ing a  few  drops  of  thf-  alkaline  soluiion  ;  in  the  contrary 
case,  '1  blue  colour  will  be  produced,  so  tiiat  more  ashes 
should  he  added,  till  a  coruplete  saturation  be  effected — 
These  proportions  of  vitriol  and  alkaline  salt,  will  be  equi- 
valent to  a  similar  quantity  of  verdigrease,  and  on  being 
combined  with  decoctions  of  logwood^  they  impart  a  fine 
black  dye,  which  is  not  injurious  to  the  teKture  of  cloth, 
hats,or  any  other  article  that  may  be  tmged  of  such  colour. 

XIX-      To  make  vitriol. 

Vitriol  is  a  compound  salt,  formed  by  a  combination  of 
zinc,  copper,  or  iron,  with  the  sulphuric.or  vitriolic  acid  ;. 
and  which  is  either  white,  blue,or  green  according  to  the 
metal  employed. 

White  vitriol  is  generally  prepared  by  mixing  5  parts 
of  sulphuric  acid  with  20  parts  of  distilled  water,  and 
gradaally  adding  3  parts  of  zinc  ,  when  the  ebullitioe 
ceases,  the  liquor  is  strained,  and  after  being  evaporated, 
it  is  deposited  in  a  cool  place,  where  it  shoots  into  white 
christals. 

Green  vitriol  consists  of  sulphuric  acid  diluted  with  ten 
or  twelve  times  its  weight  of  water,  in  which  iron  filings. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         195 

are  dissolved  ;  when  the  effervescence  ceases,  the  mix- 
ture is  for  some  time  placed  in  a  sand  bath  ;  next,  the 
liquor  is  strained  throligh  paper  ;  and,  after  beinp  evapo- 
rated, it  shoots  into  rhomboidal  chnstals,  which  are  also 
termed  salt  of  steel. 

Blue  vitriol  is  made  by  stratifying  plates  of  copper  with 
sulphur;  and,  on  slow  combustion,  the  sulphuric  acid 
corrodes  the  copper;  the  metal  is  then  boiled  in  v/ater, 
till  the  sahnc  particles  are  dissolved  ;  when  after  repeated 
solution,  and  subsequent  evaporation,  the  whole  is  redu- 
ced to  the  christalizing  point. 

XX.     To  make  aquafortis,  * 

Distil  equal  parts  of  calcined  vitriol,  and  crude  nitre ; 
or  mix  one  part  of  oil  ol  vitriol  with  nine  of  pure  spirit  of 
nitre. 

XXI.     To  make  •German  black. 

Take  of  the  lees  of  wine,  and  ivory,  bone,  or  peach 
stones  ;  let  these  be  burnt  and  afterwards  ground  to  a 
fine  powder.  The  lees  of  wine  should  be  washed  previous 
to  burning,  and  of  the  other  materials,  the  ivory  is  best. 
This  black  is  used  principally  in  rolling-press  or  copper- 
plate printing. 

XXII.  To  make  ivory  black. 

Ivory  black  in  made  by  burning  ivory  till  it  is  quite 
black  ;  this  is  usually  done  between  two  crucibles  well 
luted  together.  It  may  be  used  either  as  an  oil  or  a  water 
colour.  * 

XXIII.  To  make  bone  black. 

Bone  black  is  prepared  from  bones  burnt  in  the  same 
manner  as  to  make  ivory  black.  It  is  used  by  painters,  &c. 

XXIV.     To  make  Spanish  black. 

Spanish  black  is  burnt  cork.    Used  also  by  painters. 

XXV.     To  make  lamp,  black. 

Lamp  black  is  the  sooty  smoak  of  rosin.  The  first 
black  called  by  this  name  vvas  produced  from  the  smoak 
of  lamps  of  a  certain  constiuction,  in  which  various  sub- 
stances wet  e  burnt.  The  kind  now  used  is  made  of  rosin, 
v^hich  is  first  cut  into  small  pieces,  melted  and  purified  in 


1^  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

iron  vessels;  it  is  then  set  fire  to  under  a  chimney,  ci 
suitable  place  made  for  the  purpose,  the  top  of  which  is 
lined,  or  covered  with  sheep  skins,  or  pieces  of  coarse 
linen  cloth,  to  receive  the  vapour  or  smoke,  which  is  the 
black. 

XXVI.     To  make  currier's  black. 

That  kind  called  the /irst  black  is  made  with  gall-nuts, 
sour  beer,  and  old  iron.  The  second  black,  or  best  kind, 
is  composed  of  gall-nuts,  copperas,  and  gum-arabic.  This 
is  used  prior  to  giving  the  leather  a  gloss. 

XXVII.     A  preparation  Jor  sole  leather. 

Heat  the  leather  by  exposing  the  flesh  side  to  the  fire  ; 
then  with  a  brush  apply  warm  tar.  Repeat  the  process 
of  heating  the  leather  and  applying  the  tar,  three  or  four 
times,  according  to  the  thickness  of  the  leather,  till  the 
tar  has  nearly  penetrated  through  the  skin.  Care  must 
be  taken  not  to  make  the  leather  or  tar  too  hot,  as  that 
injures  it  in  the  wearing- 
Various  preparations  of  rosin,  pitch,  turpentine,  tar, 
oils,  &c.  are  made  tor  the  purpose  of  rendering  leather 
•waier  proot.  Some  of  them  answer  equally  well  on  uppei: 
and  on  sole  leather- 


!P' 


[     197    3 

.CHAP.  XVIII. 

ASSAYS  ON  AGRICULTURE,  AND  RURAL  ECONOMY, 

I.    Pretiaring  of  the  land  for  Wheat. 

Ib  the  winter  season,  carry  on  a  sufficient  quantity  of  ma- 
nure ;  and  as  soon  as  the  frost  is  out  of  the  ground^  plough 
it  over  smooth,  furrow  it,  and  plant  it  with  potatoes  iu 
hills,  leaving  just  room  between  the  hills  to  plough  both 
ways.  When  they  are  grown  tp  the  height  of  two  or  three 
inches,  plough  them  one  way,  turning  the  furrow  upon 
the  hills  on  each  side,  having  a  person  to  follow  and  weed 
them  out. 

About  the  end  of  June,  cross  plough  them,  turning  upon 
the  hill  again,  and  let  the  person  following  the  plough, 
mould  the  hills  ;  and  about  the  twentieth  of  August  you 
will  find  that  the  tops  die ;  then  pull  ihem,  for  the  longer 
they  remain  in  the  earth  the  more  water  they  will  collect 
in  their  substance. 

As  soon  as  the  potatoes  are  gathered,  turn  in  your  hogs^ 
and  let  them  remain  there  till  the  beginning  of  October.-- 
They  will  by  this  time  have  torn  up,  and  mixed  the  ground 
better  than  any  ploughing.  Then  harrow  the  ground  for 
sowing  wheat. 

The  advantages  are,  that  the  potatoes  kill  the  weeds 
and  turf;  and  the  hogs  by  rooting  and  turning  the  soil,  in 
search  of  potatoes,  effectually  destroy  all  kinds  of  vermin 
which  have  been  left  in  the  ground,  besides  a  considerable 
saving  in  their  keeping. 

•:,  II.    Prefiaring  of  the  Seed  Wheat. 

Let  the  wheat  be  thrice  thoroughly  washed ;  and  let  the 
water  drain  from  it,  after  the  third  washing.  Then  steep 
it  eighteen  hours,  in  brine  strong  enough  to  float  an  egg, 
and  spread  it  on  a  floor,  to  let  the  brine  run  off ;  but  while 
the  wheat  is  yet  moist,  let  quick  lime  be  equally  sifted 
over  it,  stirring  it  very  well  with  a  shovel,  and  continue 
sifting  on  more  lime,  until  the  wheat  be  equally  dusted 
with  it,  in  the  proportion  of  half  a  gallon  of  lime  to  a 
bushel  of  wheat  By  stirring  it  well  with  a  shovel,  the 
wheat  will  soon  be  dry  and  fit  for  sowing. 

The  produce  of  some  exceedingly  smutty  wheat  pre- 
pared for  sowing  in  the  above  method,  has  been  good- 
clean,  well  filled  graia. 

S 


198         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c, 
III.     On  the  culture  of  wheat. 

A  more  beneficial  discovery  has  not  been  made  in  agri- 
culture, thnn  that  of  clover  being  an  infahble  preparative 
to  a  crop  d"  wheat.  It  has  seldom  been  known  to  fail  on 
poor  land,  and  is  particularly  advantageous  to  rich,  as  the 
straw  will  b(  strong,  the  ear  large,  and  the  number  of 
stems  from  a  root  incredible.  If  ever  a  marvellous  crop  of 
■wheat  be  raised  on  very  rich  ground  it  must  be  in  this 
way ;  for  rich  fallows  pi  oduce  a  luxuriant  tall  straw,  weak 
at  the  root,  with  a  small  ear  which  will  fall. 

In  proof  of  the  foregoing  observations,  let  reason  be  at- 
tented  to ;  clover  grass  affords  rest  to  1  tnd,  and  keeps  out 
■weeds;  the  pasture  produces  feed  in  abundance  for  cattle; 
the  dung  ot  the  cattle,  with  the  vegetable  salts  contained 
in  the  large  top  root  and  heart  of  the  clover  afford  vivid 
manure  for  wheat.  One  other  advantage  of  this  mode  of 
culture,  is,  that  the  root  of  the  grain  growing  in  them  the 
■water  drains  from  the  root,  aiid  tht-  surface  of  the  ground 
■will  not  rise  with  the  frost,  as  fallows  of  a  fine  mould  are 
apt  to  do— the  wheat,  therefore>  must  stand  the  winter 
much  the  best,  if  sowed  upon  a  clover  turf  ;  the  method 
to  be  adopted  is  as  follows  : 

In  the  September  of  the  second  summer  after  your 
clover  was  sowed,  pasture  it  close  to  the  ground,  and  turn 
your  furrows  over,  very  clean  and  even  ;  but  before  the 
the  two  last  furrows  of  each  land  is  split,  take  a  handful 
of  wheat,  and  drop  along  in  each  furrow,  throwing  it  be- 
fore you  as  you  step  along,  and  then  spht  the  two  furrows, 
turning  them  on  the  wheat  ;  if  this  be  not  done  the  sides 
of  the  iand  will  be  bare,  the  same  day  it  Is  ploughed,  sow 
on  e  ach  acre  three  pecks  of  clean  seed- wheat,  broad-cast ; 
after  it  .is  sowed,  take  a  roller  and  run  over  the  land  the 
same  way  it  is  ploughed.  When  this  is  done,  harrow  it 
over  two  or  three  times  the  sam.e  way,  until  the  seed  be 
covered  ;  but  by  no  means  harrow  across  the  land,  or  fur- 
rows ;  make  the  water  furrows  (if  nted  be)  with  the 
spade,  and  turn  the  grass  side  of  the  sods  downwards. 

IV.     On  the  gathering  of  wheat. 

When  this  valuable  grain  has  attained  its  full  plump- 
ness, and  begins  to  shew  its  ripening  colour,  it  should  be 
reaped,  and  laid  a  few  days  with  the  ears  a  little  elevated 
to  liarden,  before  it  is  bound  up,  and  afte»wards  stand  a 
■week  or  ten  days  in  shock,  which  will  be  the  means  of  its 
proving  swfeter,  weighing  heavier,  and  yielding  a  much 
greater  proportion  of  flour,  and  less  bran,  than  when  it  is 
suffered  to  stand  on  the  ground  till  the  ears  become  invert- 
ed, and  the  corn  parched  and  shrivelled  ;  but  this  is  Jar 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         199 

from  being  the  whole  of  the  evil  ;  for  the  straw,  when 
cut  in  a  dry    and  brittle   state   is  not  so    valuable  for 
thatch,  fodder,  or  litter,  as  it  is,  when  cut   in  a  greener    , 
state,  and  when  a  brisk  wind  happens,  there  is  frequent- 
ly a  loss  sustained  by  one  third  of  the  crop- 

V.     On  firefiaring  seed  corn. 

Dissolve  saltpetre  in  water,  so  as  to  make  it  very 
strong.  Soak  your  seed  corn  therein,  until  it  becoiiies 
swelled;  then  plaiU  it  in  the  usual  way,  taking  care  not 
to  let  it  be  long  out  of  the  brine  before  it  is  covered,  .  it 
■will  produce  three  times  the  crop,  and  will  be  ripe  sooner, 
than  the  same  sort  of  corn,  planted  without  soaking,  on 
ground  of  the  same  quality. 

VI.    Another  method- 

Go  through  your  field,  when  the  corn  first  begins  to 
i'ipen,  mark  all  such  large  and  fine  ears  as  are  turned 
■white,  and  where  there  are  two  on  a  stalk  ;  when 
thoroughly  ripe,  gather  them,  by  pulling  off  the  ear,  husk 
and  all,  hang  them  up  where  no  wet  will  come  to  them, 
and  let  them  thoroughly  dry.  By  taking  the  fii  st  corn 
that  ripens,  where  there  are  two  ears  on  a  stalk,  for 
seed>  you  will  have  your  crop  earlier,  by  ten  days,  or  a 
fortnight,the  following  year,  and  the  quantity  considerably 
encreased. 

VIL  Observations  on  increasing  the  quantity  of  Indian 
Corn  by  selecting  the  seed  ;  communicated  by  Mr.  John 
She/ifierd,  of  Greenwich,  Cumberland- County  A'cw- 
Jersey- 

Having  heard  it  suggested,  that  Indian  corn  tnii'ht  be 
improved  by  a  careful  attention  to  plant  only  such  seed  as 
is  gathered  from  those  stalks  which  produce  two  ears,  I 
collected  in  the  fall  of  1786,  a  sufficient  quantity  of  such 
ears  for  to  plant  my  next  crop.  In  the  spring  of  1787,  I 
planted  this  seed  ;  and  was  vA:\\  pleased  lo  find  my  crops 
increased  much  beyond  the  quantity  I  had  been  accus- 
tomed to.  In  the  first  year  1  estimated  the  encrease  at 
near  or  quite  ten  bushels  per  acre,  and  by  following  the 
same  rule  in  saving  m.y  seed,  for  three  years,  my  crops 
have  encreased  to  sixty  bushels  per  acre,  and  I  have  now 
three  and  four  ears  upon  a  stalk> 

VIII.  On  the  advantages  of  steeping  seed  Barley. 

The  advantages  of  steeping  seed  barley  is  made  known 
in  a  cemmunication  from  Mr.  James  Chappie  to  the  Bath 
Society,  he  observes. 


500         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

The  last  spring  being  remarkably  dry,  I  soaked  my 
Barley  in  the  black  water  taken  from  a  reservoir  which 
constantly  receives  the  draining  from  my  dung  heap  and 
stables.  As  the  light  corn  floated  on  the  top,  I  skimmed 
it  off,  and  let  the  rest  sta:  d  twenty  four  hours.  On  taking 
it  from  the  water,  I  mixed  the  seed  grain  with  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  sifted  woodash.s  to  make  it  spread  regularly, 
and  sowed  ihree  fields  with  it.  I  began  the  sixteenth, 
and  finished  the  twenty-tliird  of  April.  The  produce 
was  sixty  bushels  per  acre,  of  good  clean  barley,  without 
any  small  or  green  corn.  No  person  in  this  country  had 
better  grain. 

I  sowed  also  several  other  fields  with  the  same  seed? 
dry  and  without  any  preparation  ;  but  the  crop,  like  those 
of  my  neighbours,  was  very  poor,  not  more  than  twenty 
bushels  per  acre,  and  much  mixed  with  green  corn,  and 
weeds,  when  harvested-  I  also  sov/ed  sorie  of  the  ^eed, 
dry,  on  one  ridge  in  each  of  my  forxner  fields  ;  but  the 
produce  was  very  poor.in  comparison  with  the  other  part 
of  the  field. 

IX.     On  the  advantage  oj preparing  seed  Oats  with  plais" 
ter  of  Fdris—^in  a  letter  Jroni  E.  Handy  to   S.  Puwell, 

Late  in  the  month  of  April,  having  a  piece  of  ground  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  borough  of  Lancaster,  prepared  to  be 
sown  with  oats,  which  I  suppose  would  take  sixteen  bush- 
els of  seed;  the  evening  btlore  it  was  S)wn,  1  had  eight 
bushels  put  into  a  trough  and  covered  with  water.  The 
next  m.orning,  the  water  was  drawn  off,  aod  the  oats  iaid 
in  a  heap  to  tlrain  for  half  an  hour,  then  plaister  of  Paris.in 
powder,was  thrown  on,  by  small  quantities  at  a  time,  and 
mixed  with  the  oats,  till  they  acquired  a  sufficient  degree 
of  dryness,  to  be  evenly  sown.  In  the  process,  one  bushel 
of  plaister  was  consumed.  The  seed  thus  prepared,  and 
dry  seed  from  the  same  original  heap,  v/ere  sown  on  al- 
ternate lands  throughout  the  field.  The  whole  came  up 
together,  and  in  due  time,  and  no  difference  was  visible 
for  seven  or  eight  days.  From  that  time  forward,  the 
distinction  became  very  evident,  the  oats  on  the  lands 
sown  with  the  prepared  seed,  were  much  more  luxuriant, 
and  of  a  deeper  green,  until  they  began  to  rip^n.  On  the 
second  of  August,  they  were  cut,  being  then  perfectly 
ripe,  while  those  on  the  Tands  sown  with  the  unprepared 
seed,  were  yet  green,  the  heads  much  smaller,  and  pro- 
missing  in  every  respect  a  worse  crop. 

The' produce  of  the  eight  bushels  of  prepared  seed  was 
one  hundred  and  twenty  two  bushels  and  a  peck  ;  of  the 
eight  bushels  of  unprepared  seed,  ninety-six  bushels; 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  ^cc.  201 

the  former  yielding  an  increase  of  fifteen  and  a  quarter  for 
one,  or  thirty  and  a  half  bushels  to  the  acre  ;  the  latter  on- 
ly twelve  for  one,  or  twenty  four  bushels  to  the  acre.  The 
produce  of  the  prepared  seed  weighed  thirty  three  and  a 
half  pound  per  bushel ;  that  of  the  unprepared,  only  thirty 
two  and  a  quarter  pounds.  Thus  for  the  expenc-e  of  one 
bushel  ot  plaister  I  have  gained  twenty  six-bushels  of  oats, 
and  in  the  extra  weight,  equal  to  four  and  a  half  bushels 
more. 

X.  On  the  culture  of  Oats, 

Of  oats  there  are  ten  species  that  are  known  in  England, 
the  uanneijOf  which  are,  the  naked  oat,  orpilcorn-  The 
tall  oat.  The  bc-arded  or  Aild  oat.  The  rough,  downy  or 
hairy  oat.  The  yellow  oat.  The  meadow  or  yellow  leav- 
ed oat.  The  common  oat.  The  skegs  pat.  The  Tarta- 
rian or  reed  oat  And  the  Fneseland  and  Poland  oats,  of 
which  that  called  the  sativa,  or  common  oats  is  most  gen- 
erally cultivated. 

Thia  species  thrives  on  almost  any  soil  ;  and  being  ex- 
tremely productive  «>n  land  newly  broken  up,  it  is  emi- 
nently adapted  to  most  parts  of  the  United  States.  It  is 
divided  into  three  varieties,  namely — 

!■  The  vvh:te  oats,  which  are  the  most  valuable,  and  re- 
quire a  soil  somewhat  dner  than  that  for  the  other  species; 
thus  variety  is.  chiefly  cultivated  in  the  southern  counties 
of  Britain. 

2  The  black  oats,  which  are  principally  raised  in  Scot- 
land and  the  novthc-rn  counties  of  England-  For  feeding 
cattle  they  are  of  equal  quality  with  the  white  oats, 
though  'lot  affording  so  sweet  a  meal  for  culinary  purposes 
as  the  white  oats. 

3.  rhe  brown  or  red  oats,  produces  good  meal ;  ripens 
somewhat  earlier  than  either  of  the  two  preceding  variet- 
ies, and  does  not  shed  its  seed-  It  is  chiefly  cultivated  in  the 
northwestern  parts  of  England,  for  the  feeding. 

All  these  varieties  are  propagated  by  seed  which  may 
be  sown  from  the  first  of  April,  till  the  middle  of  May  in 
the  proportion  of  from  three  to  six  bushels  per  acre, 
broad  cast.  It  is  some-times  sown  with  grass  see^ds,  such 
as  clover,  ray  grass,  See  The  management  of  this  kind 
ot  gram,  does  not  materially  differ  from  that  of  barley, 
rye,  &c.  Oats  Ivave  in  some  instances,  been  both  dibbled, 
and  drilled  ;  but  as  this  method  has  been  attempted  but 
by  few,  how  it  may  answer  h:^s  not  been  fully  assertain- 
ed  ;  there  is  but  little  doubt,  however,  but  ^at  either 
method,  if  properly  conducted,  would  be  preferable  tothe^ 
broad  cast  sowing. 

The  last  mentioned  species  or  that  called  the  Sativa  or 
S2 


203        SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec. 

common  oats  is  raised  on  account  of  its  ferJLaceous  pro- 
perties. The  grain  is  given  to  horses,  for  which  it  affords 
a  very  strengthening  food  ;  and,  before  barley  came  into 
general  cultivation,  it  was  converted  into  malt. 

The  meal  is  made  into  cakes,  biscuit,  &c.  or  boiled  into 
a  kind  of  pottage.  Its  straw  is  also,  usefully  employed  in 
feeding  cattle,  when  mixed  with  potatoes. 

XI.  On  the  culture  of  Potatoes' 

Potatoes  require  a  rich  loam  not  too  moist.  Wet  land 
produces  too  much  top,  and  watry  fruit,  strong  to  the 
taste,  and  not  good  to  keep  through  the  winter.  Very 
dry  land  produces  a  small  crop,  and  knotty  fpuit.  Land 
that  is  apt  to  brake  should  also  be  avoided.  . 

For  this  crop,  theearth  should  Be  well  ploughed  and  kept 
clear  of  weeds,and  should  not  be  shaded.  The  principle  er- 
ror, however,  in  cultivating  potatoes,  is  too  much  hiHing  :  if 
planted  in  a  suitable  soil,they  will  always  bed  themselves  at 
that  depth  most  suitable  to  their  growth, which  is  about  four 
inches.  If  you  are  necessiated  to  plant  them  upon  a  hard  bot- 
tom a  little  hilling  may  be  useful.  It  has  no  doubt,  been  ob- 
servedby  most  people  who  cultivate  potatoes,that  ifthetops 
are  partly,  covered  with  earth,smal!  potatoes  willgrow  upon 
thera.this  hinders  the  growth  ot  the  first  crop.  We  conclude 
with  a  short  remark  relative  to  the  time  of  gathering  this 
crop. 

Every  production  of  the  earth  has  its  maturity.  The 
sign  of  ri;>eriess  in  this  fruit,  is  the  fading  of  the. leaf  and 
shrinkint?  of  the  stalk-  If  gathered  betcre  they  are  ripe 
they  will  be  unpleasant  to  the  taste,  and  not  keep  so  well 
as  if  suffered  to  grow  longer. 

XII.  To  encrease  your  variety  of  Potatoes,  and  obtain  eX- 
cellent  kinds. 
Take  of  the  balls  when  ripe  in  Autumn,  open  them  and 
dry  the  seed  in  the  sun,  so  that  they -may  be  preserved 
through  the  winter  ;  plant  these  in  good  mellow  ground  in 
the  spring,  and  ketp  them  clear  of  weeds  &€•  The  first 
years  produce  will  be  small,  take  of  the  largest  oi  these, 
and  the  best  kinds,  to  plant  the  following  year,  and  youj? 
potatoes  will  be  much  improved- 

XIII.  To  fireserve  Turnips  from  insects. 

1.  To  each  quart  or'  turnip-seed,  add  one  ounce  of  brim- 
stone fineU'  powdered,  put  both  into  a  bottle,  large  enough 
to  afford  i4)om  to  shake  them  well  together  every  day,  for 
four  or  five  days,  previous  to  sowing,  keeping  the  bottle 
yrell  corked. 

2,  Take  stsch  a  quantity  of  elder  leaves,  as  when  bruisj: 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS.  TRADES,  &c.         203 

ed,  will  yield  juice,  sufficient  to  cover  the  turnip-seed  you 
intend  to  sow.  lawhicJi  let  it  soak  ^(mt  twelve  hours  ;  the 
next  day  mix  it  with  thebi  uisedicaves.and  sowall  together. 
Turnip-seed  is  generally  covered  with  a  brush  harrow  ; 
take  elder  bushes  for  this  purpose  ;  if  the  berries  a.  e  on, 
the  efft-ct  will  be  encreased.  If  notwithstanding  these 
precautions  the  fly  should  attack  the  young  plant,  draw 
elder  bushes  gently  over  them. 

Turnips  sowed  upon  ground  where  a  crop  of  flax  has 
be^n  taken  off,  are  not  so  likely  to  be  injured  by  the  fly  ; 
it  is  also,  well  to  sow  turnip  w  hile  it  rains,  they  do  not  re- 
quire to  be  harrowed  in,  and  grow  so  rapidly,  as  soon  to 
get  beyond  the  power  of  the  fly. 

XIV.  On  the  culture  of  2"urmps.  Another  method. 
Turnips  for  fall  and  vvinter  use,  are  generally  sown  the 
last  of  Juiy  i  have  been  long  apprehensive  that  this  sowing 
is  too  e-ivly.  The  weather  at  this  season  of  the  year,  is 
generally  very  hot>  and  very  dry  ;  anO  droughts  has  a  di- 
rect tendency  to  dwarf  and  spoil  a  field  of  young  tuinips  ; 
the  black  fl>  also,  a  natural  enemy  of  the  turnip,  is  at  this 
period  very  voracious,  and  the  crop  is  too  often  destroyed, 
or  rendered  unprofitable  from  one  or  other  of  these  causes. 
With  a  view  to  rer.vedy  these  evils,  I  sowed  my  turnips, 
the  last  year,  very  late  m  August.  My  neighbours  laughed 
at  me,  and  said  I  should  not  nave  a  single  mess  ;  1  had 
however,  more  and  better  turnips  than  any  of  them.  En- 
couraged bv  this  success,  I  sowed  this  year  on  the  25th  of 
August,  a  small  piece  of  ground,  eight  rods  only  with  tur- 
nips. They  came  up  well  and  not  a  fly  touched  them. 
Wiien  ihey  had  four  or  five  leaves  I  directed  one  of  my 
men  to  weed,  and  thin  them,  so  as  to  have  them  and  stand 
tenor  twelve  inches  a  part.  The  ground  was  afterwards 
slightly  stirred  with  a  garden  hoe-  the  leaves  grew  rap- 
idly— Covered  the  jjround  — and  prevented  the  further 
growth  of  weeds.  On  the  11th  November,  I  pulled  the 
turuips,  trimmed  and  measjiired  them,  and  had  on  the 
eight  rods  of  gr<;und  (the  twentieth  part  of  an  only  acre) 
forty-five  bushels  of  as  large  and  well  flavoured  turnips  as 
I  ever  saw.  This  produce  is  at  the  rate  of  nine  hundred 
bushels  per  acre.  The  soil  is  a  sandy  loam,  in  good 
heart,  but  by  no  means  in  high  tilth. 

I  sowed  two  other  sniail  pieces  of  ground,  the  one  on  the 
first,  the  oth^T  on  the  eighth  of  September.  Neither  of 
these  yielded  like  one  sowed  on  the  twenty- fifth  ot  August ; 
but  each  of  them  produced  much  larger,  and  better  tur- 
nips, than  any  I  have  seen,  that  were  sowed  at  the  usual 
'timt. 

I  attribute  my  siiceess  altogether  to  the  late  sowing  ; 
the  hea:  .s  then  less  intense — the  rain  more  fr-'quent — the 
dews  copious— the  fly  harmless  and  the  crop  abundant. 


20i         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 
XV.   On  the  culture  of  Carrots. 

It  is  oot  long  since  carrots  were  first  raised  in  Europe, 
for  the  use  of  cattle.  Since  the  introduction,  however,  of 
this  culture ,  ^t  has  rapidly  spread,  and  is  now  universally 
attended  to  by  thr  graziers  there 

In  rich,  loamy  and  deep  soils  the  product  of  this  valua- 
ble root  hds  been  known  to  be  four  and  e\f  n  five  hundred 
bushels  p  r  acre  ;  this  however,  only  were  great  atiention 
Wis  paid  CO  them.  We  must  not  estimate  them  at  this  r^te 
in  field  cultivation,  where  the  lab-  ur  and  experce  are 
comparatively  small.  In  common  fit-Ids,  however,  uitha 
comir.on  proportion  of  manure  and  l-.b  mr,  takir;g  the  di- 
vet'sity  of  soils,  and  difference  of  seasons  the  average  pro- 
duce of -^n  acre  would  be  two  hundred  bu!>hels.  Ni  kuid 
of  husbatidrv  can  he  practised  that  will  keep  so  mar  y  cat- 
tle upon  a  t^iveii  qiantitv  of  la;  ci,  a"n(i  at  so  httle  expence. 
Cattle  ot  all  kinds  cire  exceedin?^lv  tond  of  tnem,  and  pre- 
fer th'^m  lo  the  best  hay.  Swme  wiU  eat  then;  i^reeJily, 
and  farren  upon  them.  They  mcrease  the  milk  of  cows  ; 
and  even  horses  keep  in  as  good  condi'ion  upon  theu^,  as 
upon  griin. 

For  tlieir  cultivation  a  rich,  loamy  and  deep  soil,  rather 
dry,  than  wet,  s'nould  be  cnosen.  Lrt  this  be  well  jdough- 
ed,  and  cross-ploughed,  and  made  level  with  a  harrow, 
then  in  trenches  drawn  about  two  feet  apart,  the  seed  is  to 
be  sown  Thev  .viU  irqtire  one  or  two  plouehir.gs  and 
hoeing  in  the  i-nonths  of  June  and  July  and  about  the  first 
of  August.  From. ten  to  twelve  hundred  cabage  plants  for 
Qpcch  acre,  may  be  transplanted  between  the  rows  of  car- 
rots ;  the  necessary  ho<rmt<  for  these  will  keep  the  carrots 
in  good  order  until  it  is  time  to  gather  the  whole. 

XVI.  Eurofiean  method  of  cultivating  Hops^ 

Hod  plantations  should  always  be  upon  new  land,  if  you 
want  to  plant  in  the  spring,your  ground  should  be  prepared 
in  the  preceding  autua)n,  by  being  well  ploughed,  and  laid 
even. 

Some  plant  hops  in  March  and  April,  but  the  most  ex- 
perience d  pr<-fer  October,  which  season,  however  we, 
woul-i  observe,  is  not  so  proper  in  America,  as  in  Europe  ; 
most  trees,  plants,  &c.  that  require  transplanting,  do  bet- 
ter, if  moved  in  the  spring,  than  if  moved  m  the  fall,  in  the 
United  States.  The  ground  being  prepared,  let  the  hills 
be  marked  out,  they  should  be  about  eight  feet  apart  each 
way  the  holes  for  planting  them  should  be  from  eight 
to  ten  inches  deep,  and  a  foot  square.  The  largest  plants 
are  to  be  chosen,  they  should  be  about  nine  inches  long, 
and  have  three  or  four  joints  or  buds  to  each  ;  set  one 
in  each  corner,  of  the  holes, and  if  planted  in  October,  cover 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         205 

them  an  inch  over  the  top,  but  if  planted  in  the  spring-, 
when  they  have  shot  from  the  joints,  they  must  not  be 
buried  ;  after  this  the  ground  must  be  carefully  kept  clear 
of  weeds. 

Dressing'. 

This  is* preparing  the  ground,  in  the  autumn,  winter, 
and  spnrg  tor  making  a  good  summer  crop.  In  doing  this, 
the  hills  upon  which  the  plant  stand,  iViUsi  be  all  pulled 
down,  and  undermined  on  every  side,  till  the  spade  (or 
hoe)  comes  near  the  principal  root  ;  then  shake  off,  or  re- 
move with  the  har.d,  the  loose  mould  from  the  upper  or 
loose  roots,  that  you  may  see  where  the  new  roots  grow 
out  of  the  old  sets.  The  ok^  sets  are  to  be  carefully  pre- 
served, but  the  'jiher  roots  may  be  cast  away.  Whatever 
may  be  the  time  tliat  the  tuiU  are  pulled  down,  the  roots 
must  not  be  cut  till  March  When  your  hops  art  dressed 
for  the  first  time  after  plaiiting,  all  the  recti:  are  to  be  cut 
away  that  grew  the  year  b-  fore,  aiid  the  sets  are  to  be  cut 
off  withir:  one  Inch  of  '.he  old  s^etting  ;  and  every  year  af- 
ter, they  musi^  be  cut  as  close  as  mav  b«#6  the  old  roots, 
or  settings.  Observe,  however,  that  thrse  roots  which 
grow  downwards  are  not  to  be  injured,  those  only,  which 
run  horizontally  are  to  be  cut.  The  old  roots  and  the 
young  ones  may  be  easily  distinguished,  as  the  old  ones  are 
always  red.  Hid  the  young  ones  white.  Wild  hops,  should 
by  no  means  b?  perniitted  to  grow  in  your  f^eld ;  it  any 
get  there,  mark  the  hill,  when  gathering  your  hops,  des- 
troy such  hills  when  dressing  the  ground,  and  replant  it. 
Wiien  you  cat  and  dress  your  hc^p  field  m  the  spring,  your 
land  should  be  manmed  with  the  richest  compos;  -o.  you 
can  make.  The  hills  when  first  made  should  not  «c  too 
hif?h,  lest  they  hmder  the  youn^  sho4)ts  ;  at  the  second 
hilling  they  may  be  finished.  Two  or  more  ploughiugs  is 
required  during  the  months  of  May  and  June,  which  com- 
pletes their  dressing. 

Gathering  and  drying. 

Hops  blow  in  July,  b'll  in  August,  and  are  ripe  by  the 
first  of  September.  When  they  begin  to  change  colour, 
they  are  easily  pulled  topieccs^and  their  seeds  lock  brown 
-within  them,  they  are  ripe,  and  are  then  to  be  gather- 
ed as  soon  as  posr-^ible.  if  the  Weather  be  fine,  the  vines 
may  be  cut  and  the  pole?  left  standing,  for  one,  or  two 
days,  in  which  time  the  h^ps  will  be  nearly  dried  ;  it  is, 
however,  preferable  to  dry  them  in  the  sh^.de,  or  not  e:^- 
posed  to  the  sun,  and  dev/  ;  they  should,  therefore,  be 
picked  off,  and  spread  thin  upon  floors,  and  be  frequently 


206        SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &a 

moved  and  stirred  about,  that  they  may  quickly,  and 
evenly  dry.  In  the  dannp  and  humid  atnr.osphere  of  Eng- 
land, it  is  almost  always  neces:^ary  to  dry  them  in  kilns, 
this  may  be  dispensed  with  in  America,  if  the  season  is 
any  way  favourable  :  however,  care  should  be  taken  to 
dry  the  hops  as  fast  as  they  are  picked;  for  in,  lying 
undried,  they  are  apt  to  heat,  and  change  colour,  Vrry 
quickly.  The  dryini^  of  hops  is,  cenaiulv,  one  (,f  the  most 
material  p^rt  of  their  Trarufricture,  for,  if  they  be  ill  dried, 
they  loose  all  their  agreeable  flavour. 

Bagging  them. 

The  last  thine  done  to  hops  is  putting  them  up  in  bags 
of  coarse  cloth  tor  carriage.  When  hops  have  been  p'ck- 
ed  and  dried  on  the  cast,  or  tin  floor,  they  are  so  britUe 
that  they  wonid  brerik  to  pieces,  and  be  spoiled,  if  tiiey 
were  ii?. mediate!)  to  be  put  up  ;  th<  y  are  therefore  to  lie 
together  for  about  three  week^^,  till  they  become  tough,  or 
if  covered  from  the  air,  with  blankets,  in  a  heap,  they  may 
be  bag^::;cd  sooner.  The  manner  of  bagging  them  is  as 
follows  :  A  holers  rrade  through  an  upper  floor,  sor large, 
as  that  a  'nan  can  conveniently  go  up  and  down  in  it ;  thea 
a  hoop  is  fitted  to  the  mouih  of  the  bag,  and  so  firmly  sew- 
ed on.  that  it  cannot  be  torn  ofl^,  the  bag  is  then  let  down 
through  the  hole  ;  the  hoop  remaining  above  prevents  the 
bag  from  being  quite  pulled  tlirough,  as  the  hoop. is  larg- 
er than  the  hole.  A  few  hops  are  first  thrown  into  the 
bag,  and  taken  up  into  each  corner,  and  tied,  making  a 
sort  of  tassel,  or  handle  by  which  the  bag  is  easier  handled. 
When  this  is  done,  one  man  must  go  down  into  the  bag> 
and,  while  another  cast  in  the  hops,  he  must  tread  them 
down  equally  every  way  with  his  teet  ;  and  when  the  bag 
is  in  this  manner  fiHed,  it  is  ripped  from  the  hoop,  and 
sewed  up,  leaving  two  tassels  at  the  corners  of  the  top, 
same  as  at  the  bottom-  A  bag  of  hops  so  prepared,  may 
be  kept  for  several  years. 

XVII.-  On  the  culture  of  flax. 

A  skilful  flax-raiser  always  prefers  a  free»  open,  deep 
loam,  and  grounds  that  produced  the  preceding  year  a 
good  crop  of  turnips,  cabbage,  potatoes,  barley,  or  broad 
clover ;  or  has  been  formerly  laid  down  rich,  and  kept 
for  sonie  years  in  pasture. 

A  clay  soil,  manured  with  ashes,  will  answer  well  for 
flax,  as  well  as  soils  of  a  lightt  r  quality  ;  provided  it  be 
brought  to  a  proper  mould,  by  being  tilled  after  harvest, 
tojexpose  it  to  the  winter  frost ;  and  by  repeated,  plough- 
ing, in  the. spring,  to  make  the  ground  fine.    A  little  old 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         2or 

stable  (lung,  or  that  of  p'geons  Or  sheep,   may  bespread 
upon  the  ground  inn  mediately  before  sowing. 

Ground  ^nriched  with  shell,  or  other  marls,  will  ans- 
wer i/ell  for  flax,  if  the  marl  has  been  mixed  with  the  soil 
for  some  time. 

In  dry  soils,  the  broader  and  more  level  the  ridges  are 
laid  the  better  ;  as  by  chat  means,  the  i.ntural  moisture 
will  be  longer  retained,  and  the  crop  rendered  more  equal 
and  u'iifoi  m  ;   a  great  advrinMge  to  crops  of  flax 

Allnew  ;c,roands, orsuciiashavelai'  longin  grassorpas- 
ture,  prodacf  clear  cro()s  of  -jtrotig  flax  ;  but  ought  to  be 
ploughed  bhv-ill  jvv.and  the  furrowlaid  fl  t-  After  ploughing, 
a  heavy  roller  should  be  us^d,  to  press  the  sod  smooth,  and 
clnse  to  the  :^round  This  will  makethe  grass  rot  the  sooner. 

Flaxseed  ought  nevef  to  be  sown  on  grounds  either  too 
wet  or  dry,  but  on  such  as  retain  a  natural  moisture  ;  such 
gioijrids  as  are  iuclmed  to  weeds,  ou^ht  to  be  avoided, 
unlfSft  prepared  by  a  careful  summer  tallow,  or  by  crops 
of  turnips,  caf)ba^e,  or  potatoes. 

Before  sowing,  the  bulky  clods  should  be  broken  and 
stones,  &c.  that  will  hinder  the  growth  ot  flax, be  removed. 

Choice  of  seed. 

The  brighter  in  colour,  and  heavier  the  seed  is,  the  bet- 
ter ;  that  which  appears,  when  bruij^ed,  of  a  light  or  yel- 
lowish green  and  fresh  in  the  heart,  oily,  and  •,  weet  to  the 
taste  and  smell,  may  be  depended  upon.  Seed  should  be 
repeatedly  passed  through  screen,  that  there  may  not  be 
left  in  it  any  vine  seed,  or  light  defective  flax-seed. 

Of  sowing  lin-seed. 

The  quantity  of  linseed  sown,  should  be  proportioned  to 
the  condition  of  the  soil  ;  for  if  the  ground  be  in  good  con- 
dition and  the  seed  b^  sown  thick,  the  crop  will  be  in  dan- 
ger of  tailing,  before  it  is  ready  for  pulling.  On  the  gene- 
rality of  soils,  about  two  bushels  of  seed  is  required  to  an 
acre  ;  the  time  for  sowing  is  from  the  middle  ot  March  to 
the  end  of  April,  as  the  ground  and 'season  answer- 
It  ought  always  to  be  sown  on  a  dry  bed,  and  if  the  soil 
be  light,  it  should  be  rolled  ;  especially  if  grass  seeds  are 
sown  along  with  it  If  sown  on  grass  ground,  ploughed 
shallow,  it  cannot  be  harrowed,  even  length- ways,  a  har- 
row would  tear  up  the  sods,    A  heavy  brush  is  best. 

0  ^  iveedingjlax. 
If  the  seed  is  clean,  and  sowed  on  grass  ground,  all  tte 
trouble  and  expence  of  weeding  may  be  avoided  ;  shoul# 
it  however  be  necessary,  it  ought  to  be  done,  when  the 


208         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

flax  is  about  four  inches  high  ;  if  longer,  deferred,  the 
weeders  will  so  nnuch  break  and  crook  the  stalks,  that 
they  will  never,  perhaps,  recover  their  straitness  again, 
and  flax  that  gro^s  crooked  is  very  liable  to  be  injured  in 
the  rippling  and  swinghng. 

If  there  is  an  appearance  of  a  settled  drowth,  weeding 
should  be  omitted  it  is  then  injurious. 

Weeds  when  pulled,  sfiouid  be  carried  off  the  field,  if 
lef^,  ihey  otten  take  root  again  and  obstruct  the  growth  of 
the  flax. 

A'i  young  and  unskilful  persons,  frequently  pull  up  and 
spo'l  the  fl.ix.  while  weeding,  they  should  not  weed  alone, 
but  witti  experienced  persons  and  all  care  should  be  taken, 
not  to  tread  down  and  injare  the^ax.        • 

Of /lulling  JIujC. 

If  it  is  intended  to  save  both  the  flax  and  the  seed,  the 
pulling  should  not  begin  till  the  stalk  becomes  yellow,  al- 
most all  the  leaves  are  fallen,  and  the  balls  turned  so  sharp 
that  they  will  stick  to  the  finger,  when  pressed  upon  their 
points  ;  also  one  of  the  lower  balls,  cut  across  the  grain* 
appears  full  of  seed  well  formed,  and  firm.  Butiftfie 
stalk  is  small,  with  few  balls  upon  it,  which  is  a  sign  that 
the  fl  IX  is  fine.it  ought  to  be  pulled  when  the  stalk  first  be- 
gins to  grow  yellow,  when  only  the  undermost  leaves  fall, 
before  the  bloom  is  quite  over,  before  the  balls  turns  sharp 
pointed,  and  when  one  of  the  balls,  cut  across  the  seed  ap- 
pears soft  and  watry.  It  is  a  rule  with  persons  of  skill,  to 
follow  this  last  method,  when  they  think  that  about  eight 
hauks  or  more,  may  be  spun  from  a  pound. 

When  flax  hasf alien, such  as  lies  ought  to  be  immediately 
pulled,  other^vise  it  will  rot ;  and  that  being  pulled,  the  rest 
of  the  crop  will  receive  the  more  air,  and  be  less  apt  to  fall. 

When  parts  of  the  same  field  grow  unequally,  so  that 
some  is  ready  tor  pulling  before  other,  that  which  is  ready 
should  be  pulled,  and  the  rest  be  suffered  to  stand  till  fit. 

The  flax  raiser  ought  to  be  at  great  pains  to  pull,  and 
keep  by  itself,  each  different  kind  of  lint;  what  is  long  and 
fine,  by  itself  ;  long  and  coarse,  by  itself ;  short  and  fine, 
by  itself;  and  short  and  coarse,  by  itself;  and,  in  hke  man- 
ner, every  other  kind  by  itself ,  for  if  the  different  kinds 
are  not  thus  kept  seperate,  tht  flix  will  be  much  damag- 
ed in  the  watering,  and  other  succ  eding  operations. 

While  pulling  and  sorting  the  flax,  tne  w^eds  ought  to 
be  picked  out,  otherwise  they  will  huri  the  flax  m  the  ope- 
M|ions  of  watering  and  dressing  ;  and  what  is  commonly 
^pied  under-gro'vrh,  may  be  thrown  away  as  useless. 

Few  persons  that  have  seen  flax,  pulled  are  ignorant  of 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c.         209 

the  method  of  laying  it  in  handsfull  across  each  other, 
upon  bands   composed   ©f  some   of  the  stalk?.    Laying 
handsfull  in  this  way,  admit  fresh  air,  and  keep  them 
^  separate,  and  ready  for  the  rippler. 

Process  after  fiulling  the  Jiaxy  and  before  ripfiling  it. 

If  the  flax  is  not  of  the  finest  kind,  the  cross  handsfull, 
after  lying  twenty-four  hours, as  above  describe d.should  be 
turned  upon  the  band  ;  and,  after  lying  other  twenty-four 
hours,  should  be  bound  up  in  sheaves  •and  stacked.  If  the 
weather  is  dry,  in  about  a  fortnight's  time,  it  will  be 
ready  for  rippling,  and  may  be  removed  to  the  barn.  But 
if  the  flax  is  fine,  it  should  be  put  into  stacks,  in  about 
twelve  hours  after  it  is  pulled,  and  in  two  or  three  days  it 
may  be  rippled. 

Keeping  the  flax  unwatered  till  the  next  spring,  is  at- 
tended with  many  bad  consequences  For,  when  too  much 
dryed  by  long  keeping,  it  is  not  so  easily,  nor  so  safely 
watered,  the  quality  ot  the  flax  is  harsher  and  coarser  ; 
it  is  subject  to  danger  from  vermin,  and  other  accidents^ 
during  the  winter ;  the  water  in  the  spring,  or  beginning 
of  summer,  is  not  so  soft  and  warm,  as  in  harvest,  a''d 
near  a  year  is  lost,  of  the  use  of  the  lint,  by  the  practice 
of  keeping  it  over  the  winter. 

Ofrijifilin^  flax. 

The  seed  ought  by  all  means  to  be  seperated  from  the 
flax  before  watering,  for  if  put  into  the  water  along  with 
the  Ahx.  it  is  apt  to  breed  vermin,  and  discolour  the  flax. 
The  seed  is  also  worth  saving  as  fted  for  horses  and  cattle, 
when  not  ripe  enough  for  sowing. 

When  the  seed  is  ripe  enough  forsowing  and  intended, 
to  be  saved  for  that  use,  it  should  be  rippled  within  doors, 
for  rain  and  damp  will  discolour  it,  and  rendef  it  unfit  for 
sowing. 

The  handsfull  for  rippling  should  not  be  large,  as  that 
endangers  the  lint  in  going  through  the  comb.  After  rip- 
pling, the  flax  raiser  will  see  that  he  is  able  to  assort  each 
size  and  quality  of  the  flax  more  exactly  than  he  could 
do  before. 

Of  nvinnowing  the  seed. 

The  balls,  after  rippling,  should  be  well  threshed  with 
flails,  or  in  some  other  way  broken,  and  then  passed 
through  a  riddle  to  take  out  the  ends  of  the  flax,  that  have 
broken  off"in  npphng.  After  this  the  whole  should  pass 
through  tanners,  and  different  sieves,  to  clear  the  seed  as 
much  as  possible  from  broken  husk's,  dust,  week  seed 
Being  thus  cleaned,  it  should  be  carried  to  a  free-aire 

r 


210        SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Bcc. 

loft,  and  spread  thin,  and  often  turned  for  some  time,  to 
prevent  it  from  heating  ;  and  as  the  seed  dries,  it  may  be 
laid  up  thicker,  and   seldomer  turned,  till  at  last  it  is  fit    n^ 
for  the  market  or  for  sowing.  «|^ 

Management  ojtkejiax^ajter  rifi/iling.and  bejore  ivatering. 

Rushes  should  be  pulled,  and  dried  during  the  summer, 
for  tying  the  handsfull  of  flax  for  the  water.     Tney  save 
flax  ;  they  do  not  sa  easily  rot  in  the  water,  and  may  be     : 
dried  for  next  year. 

The  flax  from  the  rippling  comb,  being  properly  assort-    / 
ed,  as  before  mentioned,  should  be  put  up  in  bundles,  not    ii 
larger  than  a  man  can  grasp  with  both  his  hands,  and  tied     t 
slack  with  rushes.  Should  the  flax  be  in  the  least  bent,  or     i 
crooked,  by  having  stood  in  the  field,  it  must  be  carefully     ; 
straightened  with  ones  hands  and  knees,  and  laid  even  to-     • 
gether,  in  a  mow,  in  a  shade  or  barn.     The  mow  ought  to     t 
be  raised  regularly  one  row  upon  another,  and  be  pressed     i 
down  with  logs  or  boards,  and  a  sufficient  weight  above 
them.  In  this  situation  it  should  remain  from  twelve  to 
twenty  four  hours,  according  as  the  flnx  is  dry  or  damp. 
This  laying,  and  conn  pressing  of  the  flax  tr-gether,  mel-     • 
lows  it  also,  and  prepares  it  the  better  for  watering. 

Of  ivatering  Jlax. 

Running  streams,  and  large  lakes  are  not  suitable  for  ■? 
watering  flax,Ahey  waste  the  lint,  and  sometimes  carry 
the  flax  away  ;  canals  are  most  suitable.  They  should,  if  ; 
possible,  be  dug  in  clay  ground,  as  that  ground  retains  the 
water  best :  but  if  a  firm  retentive  soil  cannot  be  found, 
the  bottom  and  sides  of  the  canal  may  be  lined  w'lth  clay, 
or  iivgtead  gf  lining  the  sides  with  clay,  a  ditch  may  be 
dug  on  each  side  of  the  canal,  and  filled  with  clay,  which 
will  prevent  extraneous  water  from  entering,  and  the 
water  within  from  running  ofif. 

A  canal  sixty  feet  long,  seven  feet  broad,  and  three  feet 
deep,  will  generally  water  the  growth  of  an  acre  of  flax. 
It  ought,  if  possible,  to  be  filled  with  fresh  soft  water  from 
a  river  or  brook,  and  exposed  to  the  sun,  a  sufficient  time 
to  give  it  the  necessary  warmth,  which  is  known  by  small 
.plants  rising  and  numbers  of  insects  generating  in  it,  and 
bubbles  of  air  rising  on  the  surface.  Should  no  such  signs 
appear,  the  water  must  not  be  warm  enough,  or  is  other- 
wise unfit  for  flax. 
« Water  from  coal,  or  iron,  is  very  bad  for  flax.  A  little 
*the  powder  of  galls  thrown  into  a  glass  of  water,  will 
imediatcly  discover  if  it  comes  from  iron,  by  turning  it- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &:c.         211 

a  dark  colour,  more  or  less  tinged,  in  proportion  to  the 
quantity  of  that  mineral  it  contains. 

The  canal  ought  not  to  be  under  any  shade  ;  as  this 
besides  preventing  the  sun  from  softening  the  water  would 
make  part  of  the  canal  cooler  than  other  parts,  and  by 
that  means  water  the  flax  unequally. 

The  sooner  flax  is  watered  in  the  same  season,  in  which 
it  is  pulled,  the  better;  in  the  middle  states,  however  the 
water  will  be  warm  enough  to  rot  flaxj  or  hemp,  until 
October. 

The  small  bundles,  or  sheaves  of  flax,  before  descri- 
bed, should  be  laid  into  the  canal,  in  rows  across  it  ;  the 
first  row  with  the  tops  leaning  upon  the  end  of  the  canal, 
about  a  foot  from  the  bottom,  and  the  root  ends  sloping 
downwards  ;  the  top  ends  of  the  second  row,  overlapping 
the  bands  of  the  first  row  ;  and  so  on  till  the  canal  be  lull- 
ed. The  top  ends  require  the  warmest  water,  and  are, 
therefore  to  be  put  uppermost. 

The  whole  of  the  flax  in  the  canal  should  be  kept  under 
water  ;  this  may  be  done  with  poles  and  weights  ;  it 
should  not  however,  be  pressed  down  so  hard  as  to  pre- 
vent the  water  from  freely  penetrating  through  all  the  flax- 
The  flax,  while  in  the  water,  should  be  carefully  cover- 
ed from  the  sun  ;  it  will  otherwise  be  much  discoloured. 
Soft  water,  in  warm  weather  will  rot  flax  in  four  days ; 
sometimes  it  will  require,  six,  eight,  or  ten  days  ;  there- 
fore some  other  rule  is  required  to  know  when  it  is  suffi- 
ciently rotted-  It  is  observed  that  flax,  while  rotting  in  a 
canal,  undergoes  a  fermentation,  that  while  fermenting,  it 
continues  to  float,  or  bear  up  under  the  weights,  and  that 
■when  the  fermentation  is  over,  it  will  sink  to  the  bottom, 
and  should  then  be  drawn  out,  and  spread  on  the  ground; 
but  previous  to  taking  it  out,  it  should  be  washed  clean,  in 
the  manner  hereafter  to  be  described. 

Great  care  should  be  taken  that  no  part  is  overdone; 
the  coarsest  is  soonest  done  ;  if  different  kinds  be  put  in 
together,  one  kind  will  be  watered,  before  the  rest  is 
sufficiently  rotted. 

The  same  water,  should  not  by  any  means,  have  two 
rottings  of  flax  put  into  it,  indeed,  could  the  water  be 
changed  several  times  for  each  rotting,  it  would  be  an  ad- 
vantage, p»'ovided  the  fresh  supply  of.  water  was  let  upon 
thi'  flax  quite  warm,  the  lint  would  be  of  a  belter  cclonr, 
anrt  require  less  bleeching,  when  made  into  cloth. 

From  the  preceding  description  of  the  canal,  and  the 
manner  of  rotting  flax  in  it,  it  will  be  seen  that  an  extra 
canal,  or  a  pond  above  will  be  of  inr^mense  advantage. 
The  shape  and  size  of  the  canal,  or  pond  above,  is  im- 
material, provided  it  is  sufficiently  large  to  contain  watet 


212         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

rnough  to  fill  the  lower  canal,  and  open  to  the  sun,  that 
the  water  may  be  warmed-  From  this  canal  the  lower  one 
can  be  filled  as  often  as  it  is  thought  necessery  to  change 
the  water!  Inrinriediately  before  taking  the  flix  out,  clean 
water  should  be  let  in,  and  as  the  small  bundles  of  flax  are 
taken  up,  they  should  be  gently  rinced,  and  as  the  lint  is 
then  tender,  and  the  bandies  slackly  tied,  it  cannot  be  too 
carelully  handled.  Wiien  letting  water  into  your  canal, 
it  should  not  run  in  a  swift  stream,  directly  upon  any  part 
of  the  flax  ;  it  would  injure  that  that  it  run  upon,  espe- 
cially if  nearly  rotted. 

When  changing  the  water  upon  flax,  that  which  is  let 
in,  .should  be  at  least  as  warm  as  that  which  islet  out» 
otherwise  it  is  apt  to  stop  the  fermentation,  and  is  attend- 
ed with  other  bad  consequences. 

As  many  successive  rottings  ot  flax  can  be  watered  inthe 
same  season,  in  one  canal ;  those  who  raise  only  from  five 
to  ten  acres  of  flax  will  not  need  a  canal  more  than  a  third 
or  a  quarter  of  the  size  abovenr;entioned,and  could  the  sides 
and  bottom  of  it  be  lined  v/ith  strips  of  boards,  or  lath,  so 
as  to  prevent  the  flax  touching  ihe  ground,  it  would  be  still 
cleaner,  and  would  rot  more  evenly-  The  expence  of 
lining  a  small  canal  would  be  but  trifling  in  any  part  of 
the  United  States. 

.     A  canal  once  well  made,  with  last  for  many  j'cars,  and 
certainly  is  to  be  preferred  to  rotting  flax  on  the  grass. 

On  the  margin  of  your  pond,  or  canal,  should  be  pla- 
ced an  inciinmg  platform,  or  table  made  ot  smooth  boards. 
on  which  to  lay  your  flax  when  taken  out  of  the  water. 

Of  drying  Flax  after  'wateiing. 

When  your  flax  is  taken  cut  of  the  water,  and  has 
drained  sufficiently,  it  must  .be  immediately  spread  open 
to  the  sun  and  wind  to  dry.  Some  preftr  to  slip  the  bands 
up  to  the  top  of  the  bundles,  and  opening  the  root  end  of 
the  bundles  as  much  as  possible,  set  them  up  against  fen- 
ces, or  poles  fixed  up  for  thp  purpose.  Others  choose  to 
spread  it  out  upon  a  smooth  meadow  or  pasture,  where  the 
grass  is  short,  provided  there  is  a  prospect  of  drying  wea- 
ther. In  fact,  the  mode  of  drying  it  must  be  determined, 
more  by  the  prospect  of  the  weather,  than  any  other  cir- 
cumstance. The  flax  being  sufiiciently  rotted,  should  not 
be  exposed  to  rain  or  dew,  if  it  can  possibly  be  avoided.  If 
taken  out  in  the  morning  of  some  hot  and  drying  days, 
and  properly  opened,  it  would  be  nearly  or  quite  dry 
enough  by  evening  to  put  up. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  kc.  213 

XVIII.    Further  remarks  on  the  culture  of  Flax. 

To  insure  a  good  crop*the  seed  should  be  changed  every 
two  or  three  years  ;  indeed,  could  it  be  changed  every 
year  it  would  be  bettet.  How  far  it  might  improve  the  flax 
of  the  Uniied  States  to  bring  seed  from  Europe,  has  not, 
perhaps  been  sufficiently  tried,  but  should  this  be  thought 
too  inconvenient  or  be  attended  with  too  much  expence, 
let  them  exchange  with  different  states  from  fifty  to  five 
hundred  miles  apart 

Unless  the  drill  method  of  sowing  is  adopted,  flax  should 
be  sown  after  sunset,  on  land  well  prepared,  and  harrow- 
ed in  early  the  next  morning,  before  the  sun  -rises.  Thus 
the  seed  is  moistened  with  the  night's  dew,  and  is  easily 
enveloped  with  earth,  which  renders  it  invisible  to  birds, 
who  would  otherwise'commit  great  depredations  upon  it. 
Flax  requires  more  care,  and  nicer  culture  than  any 
crop  we  are  concerned  in.  It  should  never  be  sown  on  a 
soil  that  is  not  rich  and  well  wrought.  Being  a  plant  that 
does  not  require  much  heat,  it  answers  well  in  cold  lati- 
tudes. The  cooler  kinds  of  soil,  such  as  clay  and  loam, 
and  the  black  earth  of  drained  lands  are  suitable  for  it,  if 
they  are  well  pulverized  and  manured.  In  wet  seasons  it 
commonly  does  better  than  in  dry  ones  ;  so  that  though  it 
may  sometimes  do  well  upon  high  land,  it  is  best  not  to 
risk  it,  rather  choose  a  soil  that  is  naturally  low  and  moist. 
If  it  is  too  wet  it  may  be  drained  by  trenches,  thirty  or  for- 
ty feet  asunder.  Land  should  be  in  good  heart  either  na- 
turally, or  made  so  by  manures.  It  should  not.  however, 
be  manured  at  the  time  of  sowing,  nor  should  any  thing 
be  done  that  will  make  the  weeds  increase  ;  in  no  crop 
are  weeds  more  pernicious  than  flax.  Many  of  the  plants 
are  killed,  others  are  bushy  and  mishapen,  and  the  coat- 
light,  being  too  much  deprived  of  the  rays  of  the  sun. 

A  green  sward  ploughed  up,  well  dunged  with  such 
manureHas  are  suitable  to  flax,  and  planted  with  potatoes 
is  a  good  preparation  for  this  crop.  This  does  not  abate 
the  strength  of  the  soil,  but  rather  increases.  It  makes 
the  ground  mellow,  and  destroys  weeds.  The  grcund  is, 
therefore  in  fine  order  for  flax  the  following  year. 

A  light  frost  happening  alter  flax  is  up  will  not  kill  it. 
That  which  is  sown  early,  grows  'slowest,  Snd  has  the 
strongest  coat  ;  early  sowing  is  therefore  recommended. 
Flax  is  a  very  exhausting  crop  to  land  ;  when  it  is  pul- 
led,therefore.the  ground  should  be  ploughed  without  delay 
and  turnips  or  buckwheat  be  sowed  upon  it,  to  plough  un- 
der, which  if  the  flax  was  sowed  upon  a  sward,  is  an  ex- 
cellent preparative  to  wheat  Turnips  or  Buckwhtfat  if 
they  gre'W  well  will  be  equal  to  twenty  loads  of  jnanuTC 
T3 


ili         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c, 

per  acre,  and  the  previous  preparation  of  the  land  for  ^a.% 
the  ploughing  of  it  in  the  sumnier,  and  again  when  30U 
sow  your  wheat,  brings  it  into  good  order  for  your  winter 
grain.  This  arrangement,  however,  can  only  take  place, 
■where  the -soil  is  naturally  suitable  for  wheat. 

It  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  render  the  lint  fine, 
soft,  and  equal  to  silk  in  spinning.  This  object  is  in  a 
great  measure  attained  by  boiling  it  (previous  to  spinning) 
lor  several  hours  in  sea  water,  to  which  is  added  ley  made 
of  unslacked  lime  and  two  or  three  parts  of  pot  ash  :  thus 
is  the  coarsest  part  of  flax  or  tow  considerably  chang- 
ed in  its  texture,  so  as  to  resemble  the  finest  lint 

There  are  various  other  methr.ds  of  •softening  the  lint, 
such  as  making  it  damp,  and  rolling  it  between  iron  rol- 
lers fixed  for  the  purpose,  beating  while  damp,  drying  it 
and  combing  or  hatcheling  it  through  fine  hatchels  ;  and 
repeating  thf  operation  ai»am,  and  again,  roUmg  or  beat- 
ing and  hatcheling  it,  using  still  finer  hatchels,  till  the  lint 
is  brought  to  the  requisite  degree  of  fineness.  In  these 
operations  very  liitle  of  it  is  wasted,  as  the  tow  is  always 
useful  for  various  purposes. 

We  cannot  close  our  remarks  upon  this  useful  plant, 
without  obsei  ving,  that  so  great  is  its  value^  that  not  even 
the  chaff  trom  the  seed,  the  shivs,  or  tow  from  the  first 
Satchel,  should  be  suffered  to  be  lost.  If  useful  for  no- 
thing else,  they  make  a  most  valuable  man-.n-e  it  piled 
in' heaps,  or  put  into  comp(-st  beds  But  if  burned,  they 
produce  nothing  Even  that  which  is  left  upon  the  ground 
where  it  grt- \v,  if  ploughed  underdoes  benefit ;  the  ground 
where  it  is  spread  to  rot  is  much  enriched  by  the  wash  of 
it,  or  the  water  ot  i)onds  where  it  may  have  rotted,  if 
sprinkled  upon  the  ground  would  do  much  good. 

XIX    On  the  culture  of  Hemp. 

The  raising  of  hemp  in  the  United  States,  is  aAiatter  of 
such  consequence,  as  to  demand  the  attention  ofrvery  one 
who  has  the  real  interest  of  his  country  at  heart. 

The  usual  height  of  this  plant  when  grown  is  from  five 
to  six  fer-t,  but  this  varies  considerably,  according  to  the 
;ittention  paid  to  its  cultivation,  and  the  nature  of  the  soil. 
it,  nnay  be.  cultivated  upon  ground  of  every  kind  ;  the 
poorer  land  producing  less  in  quantity,  though  of  a  finer 
quali-ty  ;  33  it  does  not  exUnust  the  soil  like  flax,  it  is  prob- 
able that  if  care  was  -aken  in  its  cultivation  it  might  al- 
most entirely  siipercede  it.  If  the  ground  be  well  manur- 
ed, it  may  b?  raised  for  several  years  successively  upon 
th^  same  spot  In  the  choice  of  land  for  its  cultivation,  a 
rich,  sandy  baan,  and  a  dtep  dry  black  mould. should  be 


^SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         2B 

preferred  ;  cold,  clayey,  wet  and  gravelly  lands  should 
not  be  used.  It  it  be  new  land  it  should  be  broke  up  the 
summer  or  fall  preceding,  and  in  the  spring  be  brought  to 
a  great  degree  ot  fineness  by  tillage,  or  proper  manure 
and  tillage  jointly  if  manure  is  required-  The  season  for 
sowing  is  from  the  middle  of  April  to  the  last  of  May  ; 
however  the  earliest  time  should  be  preferred,  if  the  sea- 
son is  favourable. 

As  hemp  is  a  plant  of  quick  growth,  and  requires  a 
great  deal  of  nourishment  in  a  little  time,  the  land  cannot 
be  too  well  prepared  by  tillage,  and  proper  manure ; 
there  is  also  an  advantage  in  making  your  land  mellow 
by  your  hemp  pulling  so  much  easier.  The  quantity  of 
seed  required  to  an  acre  if  you  use  the  drill  is  trom  four 
to  six  pecks,  but  if  you  sow  it  in  the  comm  m  way,  from 
eight  to  ten  pecks  will  l^e  ntcessary  We  recommend  the 
drill  method,  being  'he  most  certain,  producing  the  best 
stalks,  exhausting  the  land,  the  least,  and,  in  the  end,  we 
believe  the  most  profitable.  The  quantity  usualy  produced 
per  acre,  is  fro.r.  seven  to  ten  cwt-  much  however,  depen- 
ding upon  thr  tillage  given  to  the  land  ■  It  is  not  consider- 
ed as  of  more  difficult  culture  than  flax  ;  it  bears  the 
drought  Hs  well  or  better  than  Indian  corn,  and  is  not  so 
liable  to  be  cat  off  by  an  early  frost.  In  some  countries  the 
male  and  female  hemp  are  pulled  together,  but  in  others 
they  are  separated  ;  when  this  is  done  paths  should  be 
made  through  the  field  lengthways,  at  about  seven  feet  dis- 
tant from  each  other,  to  allow  a  passage  for  the  person 
•  who  pulls  up  the  male  hemp  from  the  other,  the  latter  re- 
quiring to  stand  more  than  a  month  after  for  the  purpose 
of  ripening  the  seeds.  Thfr  male  hemp  is  known  to  be  ripe 
by  the  fading  of  thr  flowers,  the  falling  of  the  farinafecun- 
dans,  and  some  of  the  stalks  turning  yellow. 

It  is  better  to  pull  hemp  a  little  before  it  is  perfectly 
ripe,  than  let  it  stand  after,  and  if  possible  it  ought  to  be 
worked#while  green ;  the  hemp  thus  produced,  being 
much  finer  than  that  which  is  previously  dryed.  The  rea- 
son of  this  is,  that  this  plant  contains  a  great  quantity  of 
glutinous  matter,  which  being  once  dried,  aglutinates  the 
fibres  ot  the  coat  in  such  a  manner,  that  they  can  never  bes 
afterwards  pefectly  separated. 

After  the  hemp  is  pulled,  it  is  taken  in  handsfull  afid 
the  leaves,  steds,  and  latteral  branches  dressed  off  with  a 
wood  dressing  knife  ;  and  the  roots  sometines  cut  off!  It 
is  then  made  up  into  bwidles  in  order  to  be  steeped  in  wa- 
ter to  rot  it,  a  process  similar  to  the  rotting  of  flax,  this 
method  being  much  preferred  to  dew  rotting,  especially 
■where  clearer  running  water  can  be  had.  The  length  of 
time  required  for  steeping  hemp  is  various,  being  from  six 


.216         SECRETS  1N«  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

to  eleven  days,  the  slenderest  hennp  requiring  the  most 
soaking,  and  warm  weather  greatly  facilitating  the  ope- 
ration ;  it  is  better,  however,  for  it  to  remain  too  long, 
than  too  short  a  time ;  the  operation  is  known  to  be  finish- 
ed by  the  bark  separating  easily  from  the  reed. 

After  the  hemp  is  sufficiently  steeped,  the  next  operation 
is  to  separate  the  bark  from  the  reed  this  is  generally 
done  by  drying  it  and  breaking  it  like  flax,  theinstruments 
generally  used  for  this  purpose  are  all  worked  by  hand  ; 
we  think,  however,  that  considerable  improvement  may 
be  made  in  the  dressing  of  both  flax  and  hemp. 

Beating  of  hemp  is  the  next  operation,  which  formerly 
was  performed  entirely  by  hand,  but  now  in  most  places 
by  a  water-mill,  which  raises  three  or  four  heavy  beaters 
that  fall  upon  it  alternately  ;  the  hemp  being  turned  all 
the  while  to  receive  the  strokes  equally.  The  finer  it  is 
wanted,  the  more  beating  it  must  have."  It  is  then  hatch- 
eled  or  combed  through  hatchels  similar  to  those  used  for 
flax,  and  made  fine  or  coarse  as  the  hemp  is  required. 

Further  remarks  on  the  culture  of  Hemju 

When  pulled,  it  should  be  spread  out  upon  the  ground 
not  more  than  an  inch  thick,  and  remain  two  or  three  days, 
being  turned  once,  or  twiccj  it  will  in  this  time  be  fit  to 
house  if  the  weather  has  been  good,  the  sooner  it  is  dried 
and  housed  the  better.  If  the  quantity  be  small,  so.that 
it  could  be  dried  under  cover  it  would  be  better,  heavier, 
and  of  a  brighter  greenish  colour  when  dressed,  more  re- 
sembling foreign  hemp.  The  attentive  cultivator  of  this 
useful  article  neglects  ail  other  affairs  to  take  care  of  his 
hemp  at  this  stage  of  the  business,  if  exposed  when  a  show- 
er or  storm  threatens,  and  fails  not  to.get  it  under  shelter, 
where  it  remains  until  Indian  harvest  time,  when  it  is  ta- 
ken out  and  put  to  rot-  When  rotted  enough  it  is  taken 
up,  washed  and  removed  to  dry  ground,  and  sefewith  the 
but  end  downwards,  leaning  against  poles  arranged  for 
the  purpose  on  crotches  about  three  feet  high,  placing  a 
bundle  on  one  side  of  the  pole,  and  another  on  the  other 
side,  alternately  until  the  whole  is  set  up ;  or  it  may  be 
set  against  a  rail  fence  in  the  same  manner,  being  secured 
ffom  blowing  down.  It  is  there  to  remain  exposed  to  all 
the  varieties  of  weather  until  the  following  spring.  The 
first  brake  in  which  it  is  broken  should  have  the  teeth 
from  three  and  a  half  to  four  inches  asunder,  the  second 
the  same  as  a  flax  brake- 


SECRSTS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  5cc.         217 

m 

XX.     Alsthod  offireveniing  the  smut  in  grain,  and  which 
may  fiossibly  be  e^cacious  in  destroying  the  Hessianjiy* 

Put  a  half  hundred  weight  of  stone  lime  into  about  seven- 
ty gallons  of  water,  stir  it  well  tor  half  an  hour,  then  let  it 
stand  for  thirty  hours,  draw  off  the  water,  add  to  it  three 
p^'cks  of  salt  or  so  nriiich  as  will  make  it  bear  an  egg,  (if 
sea  water  has  been  used,  less  salt  will  be  required) ;  when 
the  salt  is  dissolvetl,  the  preparation  (which  you  will  ob- 
serve, is  salted  hme- water)  is  fit  for  to  be  used.  In  this  li- 
quor, steep  your  grain  by  putting  small  quantities  in  a 
basket, and  setting  the  basket  in  the  liquor.  VVhilethe  grain 
is  in  the  liquor,  stir  it  that  all  rriay  be  wet  and  that  the 
light  grain  inay  come  to  the  top,  these  sk  im  off,  they  should 
not  be  sown,  most  of  them  being  irfictious  ;  this  done 
draw  up  the  basket,  and  let  it  drain  a  few  minutes*  and 
proceed  to  stet  p  the  remainder.  This  seed  will  be  fit  for 
sowing  in  twenty  four  hours  ;  but  for  driUnig  forty-eight 
hours  are  better. 

XXI.  On  the  Hesdan  Fly. 

These  fli  s  first  appear  towards  the  end  of  September, 
and  soon  atr.er.  their  eggs  aj>]Kar  hatched,  in  colour  and 
size  like  a  flaxseed.  'Fhey  are  very  low  at  the  joints  of 
■wheat  plants*,  some  .even  in  the  ground  and  here  they  har- 
bour all  winter. 

On  their  first  appearance  in  any  district,  their  numbers 
being;  small,  they  seldom  cut  of}'  the  crops,  which  is  oiten 
the  case  the  second  ai:d  third  y-  ar. 

In  the  spring  after  vvarin  weather,  thev  again  appear 
as  a  small  worm,  twist  thems'  Ives  round  the  wheat,  as  it 
begins  to  pij^e  ;  eat  canker,  and  hill  it ;  being  gorged  .they 
beco.me  a  chrysalis,  from  whence  the  aurela  takes  vnngs. 

I  would  therefore  propose — 1st.  That  wheat  should  not 
be  so  ATI  on  poor  land,  but  on  that  which  is  naturally  rich, 
or  that  has  been  highly,  manured. 

2dly.  In  such  ground,  it  will  be  early  enouj-h  to  sow  the 
first  week  in  October,  when  the  fly  is  mostly  over. 

3dly.  When  the  fly  first  appears,  prepare  a  large  bush 
of  elders,  the  more  leafy  the  better  ;  draw  this  over  the 
wheat,  as  this  shrub  is  obnoxious  to  all  sorts  of  flies  it  will 
probably  scare  them  off 

4thly.  Prepare  a  log  roller,  18  inches  diameter,  four  and 
half  or  five  feet  long,  with  a  goage  or  gudgeon  and  nuts  in 
the  centre  of  each  end,  and  a  wooden  frame  fixed  on  it,  on 
which  may  be  placed  a  box  to  receive  stones,  to  any  weight 
required.  It  is  beheved  that  this  roller  if  drasvn  over  the 
wheat  when  the  wofms  come  out  in  the  spring  will  crush 
ithem,  besides  being  of  great  benefit  in  levelling  the  earlh. 


218         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

A  roller  is  of  so  great  a  service  in  this  way,  that  even 
should  the  fly  happily  leave  us,  no  farmer  should  be  with- 
out it,  the  expence  is  a  mere  trifle. 

XX II.  Method  of  destroying  or  fir  eventing  the  HessianFly, 

Take  of  the  twigs  and  leaves  of  young  elder  of  the  sum- 
mers growth,  bruise  them,  cover  them  with  water,  and  let 
them  stand  in  an  open  vessel  in  the  sun  and  air,  twenty- 
four  hours.  In  this  preparation,  steep,  your  seed  wheat 
twelve  hours,  and  sow  it  in  the  common  manner. 

XXIII.  On  the  culture  of  Tobacco^  as  firnctised  in  Mary- 

land. 

In  March  a  bed  is  prepared  in  some  rich  spot  on  the 
plantation,  by  burnmg  a  large  quantity  of  brush  upon  it, 
and  raking  the  surface  fine.  About  the  first  of  May,  the 
seeds  are  sown  in  it,  broad  cast,  and  generally  mixed  with 
ashes,  in  order  to  disperse  it  more  equally.  The  young 
p'ants  are  kept  clear  of  weeds  in  the  same  manner  as 
seedling  onions,  or  cabbage  plants,  and  like  the  latter,  are 
fit  to  be  transplanted,  when  about  two  inches  high. 

The  ground  to  receive  them,  when  set  out  or  transplant- 
ed, is  prepared  with  a  narrow  lioe,  by  digging  holes  of 
about  a  toot:  square*,  and  the  same  depth,  and  three 
feet  a  part  every  way,  in  rows.  This  is  termed  holing. 
The  earth  about  the  hole,  and  that  which  came  out  of  it 
is  next  formed  into  a  hill  over  the  hole,  like  cabbage  hills, 
only  larger.  This  is  termed  scraping.  The  hills  being 
thus  prepared,  ilie  first  succeeding  rain  which  wets  the 
ground  sufficiently,  the  plants  are  drawn  from  the  beds, 
and  planted  in  the  s^ame  manner  as  cabbages,  and  where 
they  fail,  are  replanted.  When  the  plants  are  well  fixed, 
and  begin  to  grow,  they  must  be  kev>t  clean  from  weeds,' 
until  their  growth  is  completed.  The  Plant  must  be  topt 
when  the  flower  stalks  begin  to  appear;  this  is  performed 
by  breaking  off  the  the  top  with  the  finger  and  thumb, 
leaving  from  six  to  ten  leaves,  according  to  the  apparent 
strength  and  vigour  of  the  plants.  The  suckers  also, 
which  it  puts  out  between  the  leaf  and  stalk,  must  be  con- 
stantly broken  nff^as  they  appear.  About  the  first  of  Sep- 
tember, and  from  that  till  frost  comes,  the  tobacco  ripens, 
and  rnust  be  cut. 

It  is  difficult  describing  it  in  this  state  so  as  to  be  certain- 
ly known.  However,  it  is  in  general  known  to  be  ripe  by 
the  leaf  putting  fnrth  yellowish  spots,  pretty  thick  over  it ; 
and  having  attained  a  considerable  substance  and  richness. 
It  is  then  cut  down  near  the  ground,  and  let  lie  till  the  sun 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         219 

ha?  softened  it  from  its  brittle  state,  that  it  may  be  housed 
without  its  leaves  snapping  off-  It  is  then  hung  up  in 
houses  or  sheds  so  thick  as  that  the  plants  touch  each  oth- 
er, where  it  remains  for  six  or  eight  weeks  to  dry  ;  and  in 
damp  weather,  a  gentle  fire  is  made  under  it  to  prevent  its 
moulding.  Many  planters  give  the  fine  Kitefoot  a  colour 
by  curing  it  all  together  with  hickory  fires  under  it  until  it 
is  dry.  It  is  then  stripped  off  the  stocks  in  damp  weather, 
and  put  up  in  bundles,  th<  ends  of  the  leaves  being  fastened 
together  by  having  one  leaf  lapped  round  them.  Upon  be- 
ing stript,  tied  up  in  bundles,  and  sorted,  which  should 
always  be  done  while  stripping,  it  is  packed  up  in  bulk 
till  a  convenient  season  for  packing  in  hogsheads.  This 
operation  is  performed  in  the  follning  manner  ;  the  pack- 
er gets  into  a  hogshead  placed  under  a  press,  and  has  the 
tobacco  handed  to  him  wnich  he  places  with  the  heads 
next  the  staves,  all  a.round  and  across  the  cask,  until  it  is 
one  fourth  filled.  This  quantitv  they  press  down  to  abnut 
three  inches  depth,  and  let  it  remain  under  press  several 
hours,  and  then  pack  the  same  quantity,  and  press  it  a- 
gain  ;  thus  the  cask  is  filled  to  ihe  top.  quite  solid.  A 
hogshead  weighs  froni  750  to  1150  pounds  in  Maryland, 
in  Virginia  much  heavier. 

XXIV.  On  the  benejit  of  Salt  in  agriculture. 

.The  advantages  of  Salt  in  agriculture,  are  greater,  per- 
haps, than  is  generally  supposed.  It  may  be  put  directly 
upon  the  land,  or  mixed  with  the  fodder  you  give  your 
*  cattle.  Upon  no  crop  is  it  more  beneficial  than  Flax.  It 
should  be  used  in  the  proportion  of  about  one  bushel  of 
salt  to  one  bushel  of  flax-seed.  Your  flax  will  be  well 
coated,  taller  and  fuller  of  seed.  The  increase  of  this  last 
article  will  generally  pay  the  expence  of  the  salt,  being 
in  most  cases  three  bi'shels  for  one  produced  by  the  ordi- 
nary way  of  cultivating  Flax. 

It  is  also  recono mended  to  try  salt  upon  oats,  winter 
wheat  and  rye,  and  also  upon  Indian  corn,  at  the  rate  of 
two  bushels  of  salt  to  an  acre.  There  is  no  doubt  but  that 
it  will  amply  repay  the  expence. 

XXV.  On  the  advantages  of  Flats  ter  of  Paris, 

Mr.  J.  Woolston,  of  Bucks  county,  Pennsylvania,  pre- 
pared 14  acres  of  good  new  land,  in  the  fall  of  1787,  upon 
which  he  sowed  white  wheat.  In  the  beginning  of  March, 
1788,  he  sowed  4  pound  of  clover  seed,  and  three  bushels 
of  plaister  of  paris  upon  each  acre  of  this  ground.  It  ].«ro- 
duced  16  bushels  of  clean  wheat  per  acre'  Scon  alter  the 


220         SECRETS  IN  ARTS.  TRADES,  Sec. 

harvest,  a  series  of  rainy  weather  came  on,  which  lasted 
fourteen  days,  during  this  tinne  the  clover  grew  as  high 
as  the  wheat  stubble,  and  some  time  after,  fully  blossom- 
ed When  ripe,  he  cut  and  threshed  it,  the  produce  was 
twenty  one  bushels  of  clean  seed,  which  with  the  wheat, 
he  sold  for  140  pound  the  price  he  had  given  for  the  land. 
By  the  use  of  piaister,  clover  may  be  kept  in  the  ground  for 
three  years  longer  than  its  usual  period.  On  a  tough 
sward,  it  is  necessary  to  sow  four  or  five  bushels  to  the 
acre.  It  meliorates  and  lightens  the  soil,  turning  it  to  a 
darker  colour,  so  as  to  be  plainly  visible  ;  and  produces 
clover.  For  Indian  corn  it  is  better  to  strew  it  over  the 
whole  ground,  th^^n  to  put  it  in  the  hills,  as  when  the  fine 
roots,  by  which  the  corn  plant  is  nourished,  push  them- 
selves from  the  hills  where  the  piaister  is,  into  poorer  soil, 
they  must  dwindle  for  want  of  that  nourishment  which 
the  piaister  affords. 

An  experiment  was  also  made  of  piaister  upon  Indian 
corn,  by  a  Mr.  Longstreth  of  the  same  county  Of  fifty 
acres  of  Indian  com,  he  plaistered  thirty  with  about  one 
eighth  of  a  gill,  to  each  hill,  alter  the  corn  was  come  up, 
and  before  it  was  harrowed.  The  soil  was  a  light  loam  ; 
the  hills  five  f«ret  three  quarters,  by  four  feet  asunder. 
On  the  thirty  acres,  he  computes  that  there  was  an  in- 
crease of  two  hundred  bushels  of  corn  more  than  the  land 
"Would  have  produced  without  the  piaister  of  paris,  judg- 
ing trom  the  produce  of  the  twenty,  acres  on  which  no 
piaister  was  put.  Twenty  six  bushels  of  the  piaister  was 
put  on  the  thirty  acres. 

XXVI.  Method  ofimfiroving  Old  Ground,  to  wake  it  suit- 
able for  the  culture  of  FlaX' 

Let  your  land  run  over  with  grass,  until  June,  then 
plough  it  in  and  dung  the.  ground  with  sheeps  dung,  or 
yard  your  sheep  upon  it,  plow  it  eight  or  nine  times  before 
winter.  Early  in  the  succeeding  spring,  plough  it  three 
times  more,  and  at  the  last  time  plough  in  your  seed  with 
some  ashes  ;  roll  the  ground  with  a  roller,  to  make  it 
smooth,  and  beat  it  down  hard. 

To  increase  the  quantity  of  nitrous  salt  in  the  ground,let 
the  ploughing  be  done  while  the  dew  is  on  ;  this  is  of  ma- 
t  rial  benefit  ;  Wet  land,  where  the  water  stands  in  the 
spring,  or  after  a  heavy  rain  should  not  be  ploughed  until 
it  is  dry.  The  ploughing  of  the  land  often  prevents  the 
generation  of  devouring  insects.  Part  of  the  land  may  be 
sown  early,  the  rest  at  or  rear  the  full  moon  in  May. 
You  may  expect  both  crops  to  be  good  but  one  of  these 
certainly  will  succeed. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c.  2^21 

XXVII.  On  Clover. 

In  Concord  there  was  a  farmer  who  raised  in  the  year 
1791  fifty  two  bushels  and  a  peck  of  clover  seed  fronn  thir- 
teen acres,  and  sold  it  for  four  pound  ten  shillings  per 
bushel,  which  amounted  to  two  hundred  and  thirty  five 
pound,  five  shillings.  Another  had  twelve  bushel  off  six 
acres,  besides  many  others  who  had  lesser  quantities  ;  all 
sowed  on  their  wheat,  and  had  also  many  tons  of  hay  the 
first  crop.  I  saw  the  six  acres,  and  think  there  was 
nearly  two  tons  of  hav  per  acre.  Two  of  the  plantations  I 
have  known  near  fifty  years,  and  formerly  they  could 
hardly  raise  their  own  bread.  They  have  very  little  na- 
tural meadow,  and  have  used  much  plaister  of  paris  ;  but 
by  so  iiig  clover, their  land  is  so  much  improved  that  their 
crops  of  wheat  are  now  vei7  good. 

XXVIII.   On  the  culture  of  the  Gooseberry. 

Gooseberries  may  be  raised  from  cuttings,  from  seeds, 
or  from  suckers  ;  this  last  way  is  not,  howrver,  recom- 
mended, as  bushes  raised  in  this  manner,  are  more  apt  to 
throw  out  suckers.than  those  raised  from  cuttings,  or  seed. 
A  rich  loamy  soil  suits  this  plant  best.and  for  planting  cut- 
tings, the  first  of  April  is  the  proper  season-  The  cuttings 
shuuld  be  from  six  to  eight  inches  long,  and  be  set  about  a 
foot  apart  each  way  in  rows,  leaving  about  three  inches 
of  the  cutting  out  of  the  ground.  As  they  require  the 
ground  to  be  put  in  good  order,  previous  to  setting  them 
out,  so  also  is  it  requisite  to  keep  it  mellow,  and  clear  of 
weeds  until  they  are  fit  for  transplanting  Frequent  water- 
ing may  be  necessary  during  the  first  spring  and  summer, 
after  the  cuttings  are  set  out,especially  if  the  season  is  dry. 

If  the  soil  and  situation  is  suitable,  and  the  seasons  have 
been  favorable,  they  will  be  ready  for  planting  out  th© 
third  spring,  after  they  were  set  out.  Preparat'.ry  to  this, 
the  ground  where  vou  mean  to  plant  them,  should  be  well 
manured,  and  ploughed  from  ten  to  fifteen  inches  deep. 
Plant  your  gooseberries  in  rows,  about  six  feet  apart  each 
way,  taking  care  to  cut  out  all  dead  and  superfluous 
branches.  The  ground  where  gooseberries  stand,  should 
be  kept  clear  of  weeds,  and  every  thing  that  would  shade 
it,  that  they  may  have  the  full  benefit  "of  the  sun  and  air. 
Gooseberries  in  general  bear  their  fruit  on  wood  of  the 
second  years  growth  ;  care  should  be  taken,  therefore, 
each  spring,  while  pruning  them,  to  preserve  so  much  of 
the  growth  of  the  preceding  year,  as  will  make  a  good 
bearing  stock  for  the  succeeding  year  ;  and  to  take  a  way 
all  of  the  bush  that  is  more  than  four  years  old-  The 
U 


222  SECRETS  IN  ARTS.  TRADES.  &c. 

iTiicldle  of  the  bushes  should  be  kept  clear  in  summer,  tc 
admit  a  free  air  into  them  ;  for  which  purpose  the  finest 
and  strongest  shoots  should  stand  from  six  to  ten  inches 
from  each  other.  Some  give  them  an  autumn,  or  winter 
pruning  ;  thining  them  out,  and  shortening  the  bearing 
shoots  by  cutting  them  off  over  the  first  wood  bud,  above 
the  fruit  buds :  the  fruit  buds  are  known  by  growing  in 
clusters,  whereas  the  wood  buds  grow  singly. 

During  the  spring,  and  summer,  all  suckers  that  grow 
from  the  roots  (except  such  as  you  want  to  save  to  renew 
the  stock)  should  be  taken  out,  leaving  their  stems  clear 
and  unincumbered. 

Gooseberries  are  generally  eaten,  or  used  for  culinary 
purposes  before  they  are  ripe  ;  yet  being  one  of  the  most 
saccharine  productions  we  possess,  they  might  with  more 
advantage  be  made  into  wine.  Each  pound  of  the  juice 
expressed  from  the  ripe  berries  requires  only  one  ounce 
of  soft  sugar,  whereas  the  ripest  currants  require  double 
the  quantity  to  induce  the  vinous  fermentation.  See 
further  remarks  upon  currant  and  gooseberry  wine. 

XXIX.    Remarks  on  Pruning  Fruit  Trees, 

To  the  particular  remarks  that  we  have  made  upon  the 
pruning  of  fruit  trees  when  treating  of  the  culture  of  the 
several  kinds,  we  add  these  general  observations.  The 
pruning  of  fruit  trees  should  be  commenced  in  the  nursery, 
and  regularly  continued  until  you  cut  your  trees  down. — 
Begin  with  the  first  superfluous  branches,  that  you  observe 
grow  ;  by  taking  them  off  when  quite  small,  far  less  injury 
is  done  to  your  trees,  the  wounds  given  them  soon  heal, 
and  few  blemishes  are  left.  You  can  also  give  your  trees 
to  the  shape  and  form  you  wish  them  to  have,  much  more 
easily  when  small,  then  if  kft  without  pruning  till  they 
are  large. — American  Editor. 

The  proper  age,  aud  season,  for  pruning  fruit  trees,  is 
of  the  first  consequence  ;  as  we  seldom  meet  with  an 
orchard  that  has  been  judiciously  managed,  in  this  res- 
pect To  ensure  success,  there  is  required  not  only  the 
eye  of  an  accurate  obsei  ver,but  also  a  complete  knowledge 
of  the  various  kinds  of  fruit  bearing  trees,  their  peculiar 
natures,  and  habits  ;  because  almost  every  diff  rent  sort 
must  be  treated  in  a  different  manner.  Many  of  these 
commonly  produce  their  fruit  on  the  shoots  of  the  pre- 
ceding year,  such  as  peaches,  nectarines,  &c.  others  again 
on  branches  which  have  attained  the  age  of  three,  five, 
fifteen,  or  twenty  years  ;  for  instance,  pears,  plums, 
cherries,  &c  For  the  proper  nursing  and  training  of  all 
these  U'ees,  it  will  be  indispensably  requisite  to  attend  to 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  8cc.         223 

this  circumstarce,  that  a  sufficient  portion  of  fertile,  or 
bearing  wood  be  left  in  every  part  of  the  tree  ;  at  the 
same  lime  it  would  be  prejudicial  to  the  growth  and 
health  of  a  tree,  to  leave  too  many  useless  branches  which 
only  tend  to  exhaust  their  nutritive  powers  and  eventually 
to  accelerate  their  decay. 

On  the  whole,  it  deserves  to  be  noticed  that  peaches, 
nectarines,  apricots,  cherries  and  plums  will  thrive  rriora 
vigorously,  when  they  are  pruned  with  a  sparing  hand  ; 
as  otherwise,  they  are  apt  to  bleed  profuse!)',  or  to  part 
with  such  a  quantity  of  gum, as  will  often  prove  fatal ;  hence 
the  safest  method  is,  to  remove  supeifluous  twigs  as  soon 
as  they  appear-  By  such  management,  the  trees  above 
aluded  to,  may  be  preserved  in  a  prosperous  condition  ; 
and  they  will  grow  with  greater  regularity,  and  less 
trouble,  than  by  the  common  method  of  clipping  them 
promiscuously. 

Apple,  pear,  plum,  and  cherry  trees  yield  their  fruit 
on  young" sprigs  that  proceed  from  boughs  of  several 
years  growth,  a  sufficiency  of  such  branches  should> 
therefore  be  left,  that  room  may  be  afforded  for  the  quan- 
tity of  fruit  that  the  tree  is  supposed  able  to  bear-  On  the 
contrary  as  peaches  and  nectarines  bear  their  fruit  mostly 
on  branches  of  the  preceding  years  growth,  such  branches 
should  be  left  in  numbers  proportioned  to  the  degree  of 
strength  observed  in  the  tree  ;  and  to  make  room  for  a 
future  stock,  cut  out  those  that  have  already  borne  fruit 
for  one  or  two  years  past>  never  leaving  more  of  such 
small  branches  upon  any  main  limb  of  a  tree  than  it  seems 
capable  of  supporting. 

XXX.  Method  of  preventing  the  destruction  of  A^hjile 
Trees  by  Canker  Worms. 

The  insects  from  which  the  canker  worms  are  produc- 
ed, are  hid  in  the  ground,  near  the  root  of  the  tree,  rot  far 
from  the  surface,  and  make  their  appearance,  as  soon  as 
the  snow  is  off,  and  the  top  of  the  ground  soft  (which  some- 
times happens  as  early  as  February).  The  males  have 
wings,  and  frequently  fly  directly  to  the  limbs,  without 
touching  the  body  of  the  tree  ;  fortunately  the  females 
have  none,  but  are  a  very  clumsy  bug,  and  very  easily 
stopped  by  tarring  the  tree.  To  do  this  with  success,  it 
is  very  necessary  that  the  tar  made  use  of,  be  of  a  proper 
consistence.  Tar,  that  being  exposed  to  the  sun  through 
the  day  becomes  so  soft,  as  that  it  can  be  laid  on  with  a 
brush,  is  the  kind.  The  rough  bark  i«honld  be  first  scrap- 
ed off  with  a  hoe,  or  some  convenient  instrument,  and  the 
tar  put  round  the  tree  about  four  inches  wide  ;  this  must 


.         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec. 

be  repeated  every  day  when  the  state  of  the  ground  will 
permit  them  to  move>  till  they  have  done  going  up.  As 
they  seldom  begin  to  move  till  the  middle,  or  last  of 
March,  if  the  weather  continues  warm,  they  will  all  be 
out  of  the  ground  in  about  fourteen  days  ;  it  will  gene- 
rally be  necessary,  however,  to  tar  twenty  times,  perhaps 
oftener,  as  they  are  .sometimes  interrupted  with  snow  or 
cold.  The  time  generally  chosen  to  begin,  is,  about  two 
hours  before  sun  set,  (which  is  the  time  the  insects  begin 
to  move)  and  if  not  finished  till  an  hour  after  the  sun  is 
down  (after  the  first  time)  it  is  immaterial,  for  the  tar 
that  is  already  on  the  tree,  softened  by  the  warmth  of  the 
sun,  will  be  sufficient  to  stop  them  till  that  time.  A  barrel 
of  tar  will  be  sufficient  to  do  an  orchard  that  will  make 
an  hundred  barrels  of  cyder  ;  and  four  persons  in  two 
hours  will  be  able  to  tar  the  whole  once  over  Jf  the  tree 
be  thrifty,  it  will  be  necessary,  some  time  in  the  summer 
following  to  scrape  off  the  tar,  or  make  a  few  incissions 
through  it,  to  prevent  the  bark  from  being  confined. 

Remarks  on  the  culture  of  Fruit  Trees. 

Seedlings  from  apples  will  scarcely  ever  produce  fruit 
exactly  similar  to  the  original,  yet  may  produce  excellent 
fruit,  some  even  superior  to  that  from  which  the  seeds  are 
taken.  Seeds  from  the  largest  and  best  kind  of  fruit,  and 
from  trees  of  a  strong  and  rapid  growth,  should  be  taken 
to  plant.  Young  trees,  which  produce  a  strong  shoot,  and 
large  rich  looking  leaf,  should  be  left  to  bear  truit,  before 
being  grafted  :  such  generally  bear  fruit  of  a  good  quality. 

It  is  best  to  perform  the  operation  of  grafting  in,  or  near 
the  ground,  except  on  such  stems  as  incline  horizontally, 
or  are  small  weak  shoots  ;  these  may  be  grafted  high 
enough  to  form  a  top.  The  nature  of  the  stock  grafted 
upon,  has  great  influence  upon  the  fruit,  in  respect  to 
bearing,  size,  and  flavor,  and  also  on  the  durability  of  the 
tree.  If  possible,  winter  fruit  should  be  grafted  upon  a 
stock  which  naturally  would  bear  winter  fruit  ;  summer 
fruit  upon  a  summer  stock,  &c.  All  fruit  will  in  some 
degree  partake  of  the  nature  of  the  original  stock,  even  in 
their  disposition  to  bear  annually  or  biennially,  to  bear 
early  or  late  fruit  and  to  bear  fruit  good  for  keeping,  or 
liable  to  quick  decay. 

In  nothing  so  much  as  pruning  is  great  care  necessary, 
and  experimental  knowledge  useful.  In  general  it  may  be 
observed  that,  apple  trees  should  be  so  pruned,  as  to  leave 
a  round,  even,  open  and  rather  flat,  than  high  top,  if  any 
difference  is  made,  let  there  be  more  branches  on  the 
west  and  south  west  sides,  than  on  the  opposite  ;  this  is 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         223 

to  shelter  the  trunk  of  the  tree  from  the  direct  rays  of  the 
sun.  which  is  frequently  injurious.  A  top  formed  upon  the 
foregoing  plan  of  pruning,  will  be  must  benefitted  by  the 
■warmth  of  the  sun,  the  dews,  and  rain,  and  must  conduce 
to  the  regular,  and  quick  growth,  and  great  duration  of 
the  tree  ;  the  fruit  also  will  be  better  in  quality,  and  more 
in  quantitv,  than  if  the  top  is  crowded  together. 

Pruning  should  cominer.ce  the  second  or  third  year  af- 
ter your  trees  have  sprouted  from  the  ground,  or  so  soon 
as  you  see  unnecessary,  useless,  or  hurtful  branches  grow- 
ing upon  them  The  sooner  these  are  cut  off,  the  sooner 
the  wounds  heal ;  and  pruning  should  be  continued  every 
year  until  your  trees  are  finally  cut  down. 

Pennsylvania  method  of  preventing  the  nvorm  injuring 
Peach  Trees, 

Clear  away  the  gum  that  issues  out  of  the  tree  affected 
by  the  worm,  strew  a  little  flour  brimstone  round  the  root 
cover  it  lightly  with  fine  mould,  that  it  may  not  blow 
away,  yet  so  that  the  sun  may  operate  through,  and  cause 
the  brimstone  to  fumigate,  which  destroys  the  worm  — 
On  pound  of  brimstone  will  be  sufficient  for  near  two 
hundred  trees. 

XXXI.     On  Thorn  Hedges, 

The  most  permanent  hedge  fence  is  the  thorn  ;  but 
being  troublesome  to  propogate,  and  slow  in  its  growth, 
"we  think  a  few  words  upon  its  culture,  will  not  be  unim- 
portant to  farmers. 

The  acquisition  of  quicks  has  hitherto  been  the  greatest 
difficulty  But  the  writer  happily  has  learned  the  method 
practised  by  those  who  follow  rasing  quicks  in  Europe, 
and  ^vhich  he  with  pleasure  communicates  to  the  public. 
Gather  the  haws  when  full  ripe,  perhaps  in  November  ; 
dig  a  pit  or  hole  in  a  dry  bank  or  hill,  from  two  to  three 
feet  deep ;  put  in  the  bottom  a  layer  of  dry  straw  ;  throw 
your  haws  upon  the  straw,  and  covt- r  them  with  the  same 
then  fill  in  the  earth,  and  do  it  so  neatly,  as  to  prevent  the 
water  soaking  to  them-  In  March,  or  April  according  to 
the  season,  raise  them,  and  with  an  open  riddle,  sift  the 
sand  or  mould  from  them  (though  getting  them  clear  is  no 
■way  material)  :  they  will  now  be  clear  of  their  meat,  and 
|ust  their  nut  or  kernel  remaining,  which  immediately  sow 
in  beds  of  well  prepared  ground,  nearly  in  the  same  man- 
ner parsnips  are  sowed,  leaving  sufficient  sj'ace  between 
for  a  person  to  pass  to  weed  them.  It  should  be  observed, 
that  the  nearer  the  quality  of  the  soil,  in  which  they  are 
U2 


226        SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

sown,  is  like  that  into  which  thev  are  to  be  transplanted, 
the  more  likely  they  are  to  thrive,  after  being  rennoved  ; 
and  by  the  way,  the  same  remark  may  be  made  upon 
every  product  of  the  vegetable  kingdom.  If  the  ground 
for  the  haws,  be  well  prepared,  they  will  come  up  as  soon 
as  any  garden  seeds  ;  and  if  kept  clean  and  weeded,  they 
may  be  transplanted  in  hedges  in  two  years. 

In  no  stage  of  the  business  of  raising  hedges,is  there  more 
errors  committed,  than  preparing  to  transplant  them 
Some  suppose  that  a  bank,  three  or  four  feet  high,  should 
be  raised,  to  set  them  upon,  even  upon  high  and  sandy 
land;  others  are  of  opinion  that  a  ditch  should  be  dug  to  set 
them  in,  and  that  when  upon  a  low  flat  clayey  soil.  Ihese 
methods,  common  sense  should  inform  us,  were  the  ex- 
tremes of  error.  There  are  some  soils  where  neither  bank 
or  ditch  is  required,  and  where  either  would  be  injurious. 
In  such,  no  other  preparation  is  necessary,  than  to  draw 
two  or  three  deep  furrows,  throwing  the  soil  on  each 
side  towards  the  centre,  or  where  the  hedge  is  to  stand  ; 
then  by  one  turrow,  open  a  channel  to  set  your  thorn  plants 
in.  In  fact,  could  your  land  have  two  or  three  good 
ploughings,  the  autumn  previous  to  your  setting  them  out, 
it  would  be  a  good  preparation.  If  you  desire  to  have  a 
good  hedge,  set  two  or  three  rows  of  plants,  five  or  six 
inches  from  each  oth' r,  and  the  plants  in  each  rovv,  about 
the  same  distance  apart,  always  letting  a  plantin  onerow, 
staad  against  a  vacancy  in  another.  As  it  is  of  great  ad- 
vantage to  have  your  ground  in  good  order,  previous  to 
setting  out  your  hedges,  so  also  is  it  neces»sary  to  keep  it 
clear  of  weeds,  stones,  and  everything  that  could  obstruct 
the  growth  of  your  young  plants  ;  many  a  promising  hedge 
has  been  completely  choaked  up,  by  having  small  stones 
thrown  into  it,  till  the  thorns  could  no  longer  grow* 
Large  trees  should  not  be  suffered  to  grow  in  a  hedge  ; 
their  shade  hinders  the  growth  of,  and  finally  kills  the 
thorns. 

From  the  remarks  made  upon  setting  out  hedges,  where 
neither  bank  or  ditch  is  required,  the  variations  necessary 
to  be  made,  in  different  soils  will  be  obvious  to  every  intel- 
ligent farmer.  In  low  flat  clay  land,  a  bank  may  be  re- 
quired one,  two,  three,  or  even  four  feet  high  ;  these 
should  always  be  of  sufficient  width  for  two  or  three  rows, 
of  thorns,  the  same  as  jf  planted  without  a  bank.  Where 
a  bank  is  required,  it  should  always  be  thrown  up  long 
anough  be  fore  hand,  for  the  inner  turf,  &c.  to  become  mel- 
low, and  fit  to  receive  the  thorns.  It  is  hardly  necessary 
vto  observe  again,  that  the  ground  should  be  put  in  a  good 
^te  of  prepiuration,  and  be  kept  clear  of  weeds,  stones. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  8cc.        227 

&c.  as  much  when  your  hedge  is  on  a  bank,  as  when  it  is 
on  a  level. 

With  respect  to  planting  in  ditches,  it  can  so  rarely  be 
done  to  advantage,  that  it  is  not  worth  while  to  remark 
upon  it- 
It  will  perhaps  be  expected  that  something  should  be 
said  upon  pruning  of  hedges*  if  set  as  thick  as  they  ought 
to  be  (and  while  doing  it,  very  little  more  trouble  or  ex- 
pense is  required  to  set  them  thick,  than  to  set  them  thin 
provided  you  have  a  supply  of  plants;  they  will  require  no 
lopping  or  topping,  especially  for  the  first  three  or  four 
ye;irs  such  branches  as  grow  out  on  each  side  should  be 
cut  off,  once  a  year,  with  a  proper  pair  of  hedge  or 
pruning  shears.  This  is  a  work  that  may  be  very  expe- 
ditiously performed  by  a  person  acquainted  with  the  pro- 
cess, and  having  proper  shears.  It  would  also,  much  for- 
ward the  growth  of  your  hedge  to  loosen  the  soil  round  the 
roots,  once  or  twice  ayear,for  the  first  three  or  four  years 
after  it  was  set  out  ;  this  would  give  an  opportunity  of 
cleanng  out  every  thi-.g  that  was  likely  to  hinder  the 
growth  of  your  plants.  Let  it  always  be  remembered, 
that  a  thorn  hedge  should  have  nothisjg  but  thorns  in  it, 
the  same  as  a  corn  field  should  havinji,  nothing  but  corn  in 
.it  ;  and  that  the  same  soil  and  nearly  the  same  cultiva- 
tion, is  most  suitable  to  both. 

Should  pains  betaken  to  plant  your  haws  in  rows  across 
your  field  or  nursery,  they  may  be  taken  up  with  a  ploughj 
and  if  planted  \u  a  furrow  again,  the  trouble  of  transplant- 
ing a  hedge  will  be  reduced  to  a  mere  trifle. 

XXXII.   On  the  cultivation  of  the  Chesnut  Tree. 

This  tree  being  very  valuable  for  many  purposes,  ought 
to  be  carefully  attended  to  by  the  people  of  the  United 
States.  The  durability  of  the  timber,  the  lacility  with 
which  it  can  be  split,  the  little  sap  it  contains,  compared 
with  rnobt  other  tt  ees,  and  the  quickness  of  its  growth,  all 
recommend  it  to  the  attention  ot  every  lover  ot  rural  eco- 
nomy i  not  to  mention  the  value  of  the  nuts,  which  are  no 
inconsiderable  article  of  profit. 

The  timber  of  old  Chesnut  trees  having  been  found  by 
experience  to  be  more  brittle  than  that  of )  oung,  it  is 
recommended  that  they  be  not  suffered  to  stand  longer 
than  while  they  continue  growing.  If  cut  while  the>  will 
square  from  six  to  eight  inches,  the  timber  is  very  durable 
having  but  little  sap  compared  with  other  trees. 

This  tree  may  be  propagated  by  planting  the  nuts, 
which  should  be  left  in  the  burr,  as  a  detence  against  fif  Id 
mice,  the  Spring  is  recommended  as  the  best  time  foy 
planting, 


223        SECRETS  IN  ARTS.  TRADES,  See. 

Your  seed  may  be  selected  either  from  the  Chesnuts  of 
Spain,  Portugal,  or  theUnied  States,  and  either  the  com- 
mon smnll,  or  Horse  chesnut ;  the  latter  is  recommended 
where  the  object  is  the  timber,  and  not  the  truit. 

In  the  culture  of  this  tree  (and  indeed  of  all  forest  trees) 
we  shall  probably  differ  from  all  nursery  m  n  and  garde- 
ners, who  have  heretofore  wrote  upon  the  subject.  Instead 
of  recommending  them  to  be  planted  in  nursery's,  and  af- 
terwards transplanted  to  the  fields  where  they  are  to 
grow,  we  advise  to  plant  them  in  the  field  at  once,  making 
a  nursery  of  that,  and  save  the  trouble  of  transplanting. 

The  transplanting  of  forest  trees  can  only  be  recom- 
mended where  the  use  of  a  few  acres  of  land  for  three  or 
four  years  is  a  very  :naterial  object,  and  where  labour  is 
poorly  rewarded  ;  no  other  circumstance  can  induce  ihe 
planting  in  nurseries. 

As  in  no  parts  of  the  United  States,  (except  in  the 
neighborhood  of  large  cities)  is  the  use  of  a  few  acres  of 
land  of  such  material  value,  we  recommend  the  prepar- 
ing of,  and  planting  the  whole  of  the  lar  d  you  wish  to  cov- 
er with  forest  trees,  whatever  the  kind  may  be  ;  and  in 
the  planting  of  Chesnuts  the  following  directions  will  be 
of  use  to  observe. 

The  Chesnut  may  be  planted  upon  almost  every  soil, 
but  moist  or  marshy  lands.  A  light  loam,  or  loam  and 
sandy  soil  suits  it  best.  Let  the  fields  that  your  are  going 
to  plant,  be  ploughed  two  or  more  times  the  summer,  and 
fall  preceding  the  spring  when  you  intend  to  plant  ;  this 
ploughing  should,  if  possible,  be  to  the  depth  of  twelve 
or  fifteen  inches.  If  your  land  be  thoroughly  broken  up, 
and  made  mellow  in  the  fall,  no  spring  ploughing  will  be 
necessary  ;  if  not,  it  will  be  requisite  to  plough  it  again 
in  the  spring  and  harrow  it  level  Should  it  not  require 
ploughing  in  the  spring,  it  may  be  planted  somewhat  ear- 
lier, and  in  either  cases  you  must  plant  as  soon  as  the  sea- 
son will  permit. 

When  your  land  is  in  proper  order  for  planting,  proceed 
to  set  your  nuts,  or  nuts  in  the  burrs,  making  a  drill  with 
a  hoe  about  four  inches  deep,  and  not  less  than  twelve, 
nor  more  than  eighteen  inches  apart  each  way  through- 
out your  field.  Possibly  steeping  the  nuts,  or  the  burrs  (if 
planted  in  burrs)  previous  to  planting  them,  might  be  of 
advantage,  perhaps  as  much  or  more  so,  than  steeping 
grain  ;  1  do  not  recollect,  however,  that  this  method  has 
been  tried,  but  this  much  we  may  remark,  that  the  seeds 
of  every  vegetable  production,  that  nature  plants  without 
our  assistance,  is  previous  to  its  sprouting,  steeped  by  a 
•winters  rain  or  snow.  How  far  we  can  benefit  by  taking 
the  hint,  and  steeping  all  such  seeds  as  we  save  dry 
through  the  winter,  e>jperience  must  determine. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         229 

My  reasons  for  planting  the  seeds  of  forest  trees  in  the 
fields  where  they  are  to  grow,  are,  1st,  that  most,  if 
not  all  vegetable  productions  flourish  best  when  they 
originally  sprout  in  that  soil  where  they  are  destined  to 
grow.  2dly,  that  the  trouble  and  expense  of  transplanting 
them  is  saved-  3dly,  the  riskof  transplanting  them  is  avoi- 
ed.  4thly,  the  expense  and  trouble  of  preparing  the 
ground  to  plant  them  in,  in  the  first  instance,  is  no  m.ore 
than  the  expence  and  trouble  of  preparing  the  ground  to 
transplant  them  to  in  the  second  case,  and  Sthly,  the  trou- 
ble ot  attending  them  is  increased  in  a  very  inconsidera- 
ble degree. 

It  should  be  remarked  further,  that  they  are  recom- 
mended to  be  planted  much  closer  together  than  they  can 
possibly  continue  to  ^row  long  ;  this  is  a  provision  against 
a  part  of  them  failing  ;  it  is  also  extremely  beneficial  to 
young  trees  to  grow  so  near  together,  as  that  their  joint 
shade  may  nearly  cover  the  ground  in  summer,  and  their 
joint  stock  of  leaves  cover  the  ground  in  winter,their  roots 
are  thereby  kept  warm,  and  a  valuable  manure  is  spread 
upon  the  ground. 

It  is  perhaps  one  of  the  wisest  provision  of  nature,  that 
the  decayed  substances  of  each  kind  of  vegetable,  is  the 
best  manure  for  to  aid  and  assist  in  reproducing  such  ve- 
getable. In  this  view  the  decayed  leaves,  the  young  trees, 
and  the  decayed  roots  of  such  trees  as  are  taken  out  to 
thio.  them,  will  very  much  benefit  the  tre  s  that  remain. 

For  four  or  five  seasons  aitt  r  planting  your  trees,  ihey 
should  have  at  least  one  dres-mg  with  a  hoe  in  each  sea- 
son, to  keep  down  wteds,  &c.  and  to  make  the  lircund 
mellow  ;  the  dressing  tnat  they  may  want,  will  much  de- 
pend upon  the  previous  preparation  that  the  ground  has 
had,  and  the  state  it  was  in  at  the  time  of  planning. 

Upon  thining  them  out,  either  by  dieging  them  up,  or 
cutting  them  down,  we  remark  that  the  small,  st  and  least 
flourishing  plants  should  always  be  taken,  leaving  the  best 
to  grow,  that  they  should  be  taken  out,  evenl>  over  the 
field,  and  be  taken  out  no  faster,  than  just  to  leave  room 
for  those  left  standing,  to  grow,  and  keep  the  ground  shad- 
ed- 

Chesnuts,  upon  a  congenial  soih  plated  and  dressed  in 
the  manner  above  directed,  would  in  six  or  seven  years 
afford  a  considerable  profit  from  the  cuttings,  and  would 
shortly  pay  a  sum  equal  to  the  interest  of  the  cost  of  the 
land,  and  the  expense  of  planting  ;  this  income  would  in- 
crease till  you  might  think  proper  to  cut  your  forest  down, 
■which  supposing  it  to  be  at  the  end  of  fifty  years,  the  in- 
come would  probably  be  for  the  last  twenty  years  not  less 
than  one  hundred  per  cent  per  annum  In  a  country  like 
the  United  States,  where  property  is  secured  to  its  rigii*- 


230         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

ful  owners,  a  more  productive  legacy  could  not  be  left  by 
a  parent  to  an  infant,  than  a  plantation  of  chesnut  trees. 
Among  ihe  various  uses  to  which  the  nut  may  be  appli- 
ed, that  of  making  paste  for  shoe- makers,  book-binders, 
card  manufactorers,  and  paper  hangers,  are  not  the  least. 
To  prepare  it  for  their  respective  uses,  take  off  the  hard 
shell,  as  well  as  the  inner  skin  ;  then  divide  it  into  three 
or  four  parts,  let  it  be  dried  hard  in  an  oven,  and  reduced 
to  a  fine  flour,  either  in  a  mortar,  or  mill;  to  this  flour, 
rain  or  other  soft  water  is  added,  and  the  whole  stirred 
well  together  till  it  acquire  the  proper  consistence  of 
paste.  This  paste  possesses  a  great  advantage  over  the 
common  size  ;  as  no  moths,  or  vermin,  will  breed  in  the 
articles  cemented  with  it-  Should  it  be  necessary  to  let 
this  paste  stand  more  than  forty-eight  hours  after  being 
made,  before  using,  it  is  apt  to  sour,  or  become  mouldy  ; 
to  prevent  this,  let  a  little  alum  be  dissolved  in  the  water 
before  using  it ;  such  precaution,  however,  is  net  necessa- 
ry, when  intended  for  immediate  use. 

XXXIIL    Remarks  on  the  culture  of  the  Oak- 

In  speakin.5  of  the  chesnut,  we  have  remarked  general- 
ly upon  the  cultivaiion  of  forest  trees.  As  each  kind  will, 
however,  require  some  little  variation,  either  in  soil  and 
situation,  or  in  their  management  at  some  period  of  their 
growth,  we  shall  occasionally  remark  upon  each  particu- 
lar forest  tree,  the  cultivation  of  which  we  think  it  imjibr- 
tant  to  recommend. 

The  oak  thrives  better  in  hilly  than  in  boggy  ground, 
but  flourishes  most  luxuriantly  on  rich  black  soils,  or  in 
strong  moist,  deep  loams  ;  and,  while  it  is  young,  in  largs 
plantations. 

The  best  method  of  propagating  it,  is  by  sowing  the 
acorns  in  ground  prepared  as  for  a  ruseiy  They  should 
be  sowed  so  thick  as  to  be  a  protection  to  each  other,  from 
the  heat  of  summer,  and  cold  of  winter,  perhaps  every 
nine  or  twelve  inches  each  way  over  your  field.  Could  they 
be  planted  with  a  drill,  it  would  save  time,  less  acorns 
would  be  taken  and  they  would  be  more  equally  and  re- 
gularly distributed  over  the  ground. 

As  thev  advarxe  in  size,  select  the  stronger  ones  to 
stand,  and  occasionally  cut  the  weaker  ones  down.  The 
roots  ot  the  oak  strike  deeply  into  the  ground  ;  trans- 
planting of  them,  therefore,  should  not  be  thought  of,  as 
they  rarely  grow  well  if  removed  from  where  they  origin- 
ally sprout. 

Thij  tree  is  remarkable  for  the  slowness  of  its  growth, 
its  great  bulk,  and  longevity.    It  is  observed  that  the 


SECHETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  See.         231 

trunk  in  general  does  not  attain  to  more  than  from  four- 
teen to  eighteen  inches  in  diameter,  in  the  course  of  eigh- 
ty years.  But  after  anving  at  a  certain  age  its  bulk 
rapidly  increases. 

So  many  are  the  uses  to  which  the  various  parts  of  this 
valuable  tree  may  be  applied,  it  is  unnecessary  to  urge 
any  thing  in  reco.nniendation  of  its  culture.  To  increase 
the  strength,  weight,  hardness,  ar-d  durability  of  the 
timber,  the  tree  should  be  barked,  and  left  standing  for 
three  or  four  years  ;  it  thus  becomes  perfectly  dry,  and 
the  inspissated  sap  renders  it  much  stronger  than  the 
heart  of  any  other  oak  tree,  which  has  not  been  stripped 
of  its  bark. 

Besides  the  timber,  the  bark,  the  leave,  the  acorns,  the 
galls,  the  oak-apples,  or  their  expressed  juice,  are  useful 
in  various  manufactories. 

In  forming  plantations  of  the  oak,  pains  should  be  taken 
to  procure  the  acdrns  from  the  most  valuable  spec;es,and 
from  thirfty  growing  trees  of  a  middle  age.  The  tollow- 
ing  are  the  kinds  considered  most  valuable.  The  white 
oak,  great  black  oak,  Spanish  oak,  iron  oak,  and  (for  the 
southern  states),  the  hve  oak,  all  ot  which  are  wc>rtb  the 
attention  of  those  who  wish  to  improve  the  value  of  their 
estates. 

XXXIV.    On  the  cultivation  of  the  Poplar  Tree. 

Of  the  various  species  of  this  tree,  the  Italian,  or  lom- 
bardy  poplar  is  thought  to  be  the  most  useful,  and  orna- 
mental. All  the  kinds  of  poplars  may  be  propagated  ei- 
ther by  layers,  cuttings,  or  suckers,which  should  be  plant- 
ed in  a  nur^ery  two  or  three  years  previous  to  their  re- 
moval. The  most  proper  time  for  planting  suckers  is  in 
the  month  of  April.  It  cut  from  twelve  to  eighteen  inches 
long,  and  set  from  eight  to  twelve  inches  in  the  ground, 
they  will  speedily  take  root,  and  if  the  soil  be  moist,  will 
in  a  few  years  attain  to  a  considerable  size. 

The  lombardy  poplar  is  a  native  ot  the  northern  parts 
of  Italy  ;  it  also  flourishes  in  moist  situations  ;  but  will  not 
succeed  if  its  roots  are  to  long  covered  with  water.  On 
account  of  its  rapid  growth,  this  species  is  greatly  esteem- 
ed tor  ornamentdl  plantations  ;  its  cuttings  are  useful  for 
hop  poles  ;  the  wood  being  soft,  free  froT  knots,  and  ea- 
sily worked,  it  is  much  employed  by  juiners,  carpenters, 
and  cart-wrights;  it  may  be  wrought  into  very  flexible 
shafts  f.)r  carriages.or  fellies  for  wheels.  Farther  it  forms 
excellent  masts  for  small  vessels,  and  when  sawed  into 
boards,  is  excellei  t  for  packing  boxes,  because  yielding 
to  the  nail,  it  is  not  liable  to  split.    Lastly,  it  appears  from 


232         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

numerous  experiments,  that  the  ItaHan  poplar  affords  a 
dye  of  as  delicate  a  lustre,  and  equally  durable,  as  the 
iinest  yellow  wood  ;  its  tinging  matter  is  more  readily  ex- 
tracted, but  instead  of  strikin*^  a  proper  green  wiih  indigo 
it  changes  into  an  olive  shade.  The  dry  branches  are 
preferable  to  those  in  a  green  state  ,  nor  should  they  be 
cut  or  bruised  ;  being  possessed  of  the  property  of  fixing 
the  colours  obtained  from  brazil  aod  logwood. 

XXXV.   Method  of  destroying  CatterfiWars  ufion  Trees. 

Take  live  coals  (of  wood)  in  a  chaffing  dish ;  throw 
thereon  some  pincht's  of  brimstone  in  powder  ;  place 
the  same  under  th-  branches  that  are  loaded  with  catier- 
pillars.  The  vapour  of  the  sulphurr  whirh  is  mortal  to 
these  insects,  will  not  only  destroy  all  ihat  are  on  the  tree, 
but  prevents  its  being  ii  fested  by  them  afterwards.  A 
pound  of  sulphur  will  clear  as  many  trees  as  grow  on  se- 
veral acres  A  chaffing  dibh,  or  something  to  contain  the 
coals  may  be  fixed  upon  a  pole,  and  put  near  to  their 
nests. 

XXXVI.  AcertayicurefortheMedselsinSwine. 

Abont  once  a  week,  mix  two  spoonfuls  of  madder  in 
their  food.^nd  on  •some  other  day  in  the  week  give  a  spoon- 
ful (ir  two  of  in  equal  quantity  of  flmr  of  sulphur  and  salt 
petre  well  pouuded  and  mixed.  These  may  be  given  in 
their  food. 


CHAP.  XIX. 

ESSAYS  IN  DOMESTIC  ECONOMY,  &c. 

I.     To  make  Cyder   that  will  keefi  any   length  of  time ^ 
ivithout  tfie  trouble  of  frequently  drawing  off. 

Take  the  largest  cask  you  have,  from  a  barrel  up- 
wards ;  take  out  one  head,  put  in  a  few  sticks,  so  as  to 
raise  a  vacancy  of  two  or  three  inches  from  the  bottom  ; 
over  these  sticks  lay  a  clean  old  blanket,  or,  if  that  be  not 
at  hand,  a  quantity  of  the  swingling  of  flax,  so  as  to  make 
a  coat  of  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick  when  it  is  well 
pressed  down ;  then  put  in  so  much  clean  washed  sand 
from  a  beach  or  road,  as  will  cover  about  six  or  eight 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS.  TRADES,  &c.        233 

inches  in  depth  ;  have  this  cask  fixed  where  you  can  con- 
veniently pour  your  Cyder  on  this  filterer,  and  draw  it  off 
Then  first  pass  your  Cyder  through  a  cloth  as  it  comes 
from  the  press,  which  takes  out  the  pumice,  and  then  pour 
it  gently  upon  the  sand,  through  which  it  must  be  suffered 
to  filter  gradually,  and  be  drawn  off  by  a  tap  fixed  in  the 
side,  and  near  the  bottom  of  your  vessel  By  this  easy 
method  your  Cyder  will  be  made  as  clear  as  could  be  ex- 
pected,after  the  most  laborious  process  of  refining ;  and  all 
the  mucilaginous  matter,  which  causes  the  fermentation 
and  souring  of  Cyder,  will  be  so  separated  as  to  prevent 
that  disagreeable  consequence- 

N.  B  Other  methods  mav  easily  be  invented  of  passing 
the  Cjder  through  the  sand,  which  is  the  only  essential 
part  of  the  above  process. 

II.     To  make  Mead. 

Take  the  white  of  twelve  eggs,  mix  them  well  in  twenty- 
four  gallons  of  water,  to  this  put  forty  pounds  of  honey 
Boil  the  whole  one  hour  ;  then  put  in  a  little  ginger,  and  a 
little  cloves,  or  cinnamon,  or  mace,  or  pimento,  or  a  very 
small  quantity  of  eachtas  may  be  convenient.  When  the 
Mead  is  cool,  add  a  spoonful  of  yeast,  and  pour  it  into  a 
cask,  which  should  be  full  that  it  may  work  out  at  the  bung. 
When  the  fermentation  is  over,  close  the  ca^k,  and  put  it 
into  a  cellar.'or  vault,  where  no  changes  in  the  tempera- 
ture of  the  atmosphere  will  aff  ct  it.  When  it  has  stood 
six  or  eight  months  it  will  be  fit  tor  use,  and  may  be  bot- 
tled off.  Some  prefer  to  omit  the  spices,  which  may  be 
done,  and  good  Mead  still  be  made. 

III.  An  approved  method  of  fireservingthe  finejiavor  of 

Butter^  and  of  preventing  its  groiving  rancid. 

To  a  peck  of  fine  salt  add  one  ounce  of  crude  sal  am- 
moniac, and  two  ounces  of  salt-petre,  both  finely  powder- 
ed ;  mix  them  very  well  with  fine  salt.  With  a  little  of 
this  mixture,  work  your  butter,  until  the  butter-milk  be 
entirely  extracted-  Then  pack  it  in  wooden  firkins,  salt- 
ing it  with  the  same  mixed  salt,  to  such  a  degree  as  to  be 
palatable,  when  eaten  with  bread,  and  no  salter-  The 
mixture  is  stronger  than  fine  salt,  of  consequence  some- 
thing less  is  required. 

IV.  Another  excellent  composition  for  preserving  Butter. 

Take  of  common  salt,  two  ounces  ;  salt  petre,  one 
Ounce  ;  sugar,  one  ounce  ;  beat  them  up  together,  so  tha 


234        SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  5cc. 

thf^v  may  be  completely  blended.  This  quantity  will  be 
suffieient  for  four  pounds  of  butter,  with  which  it  must  be 
v,-ell  mixed,  and  the  butter  closed  up  for  use.  Butter  pre- 
pared in  this  manner,  is  more  effectually  preserved  from 
any  taint  of  rancidity  ;  looks  better,  tastes  sweeter,  richer 
and  more  marrowy,thanif  it  had  been  cured  with  common 
salt  alone.  It  will  also  keep  good  for  three  years.and  cannot 
be  distinguished  from  that  recently  salted.  It  should, 
however  be  remarked,  that  Butter  thus  cured,  does  not 
taste  well  until  it  has  stood  a  fortnight  or  three  weeks. 

V.  On  salting  Beef. 

In  cutting  up  your  Beef,  use  a  long  sharp  knife  to  cut 
the  flesh,  and  a  steel  back  saw  to  cut  the  bone.  To  each 
barrel  put  half  a  bushel  of.  Liverpool  salt,  two  or  three 
pounds  of  coarse  brown  sugar  and  four  ounces  of  salt- 
petre. Let  your  cask  be  well  hooped  and  pickled,  and 
pack  your  meat  close.  This  is  particularly  recommended 
for  beef  to  ship. 

VI.  J^'kthod  of  curing  Hams,  to  resemble  those  of  West- 
phalia. 

Rub  each  Ham  over  with  dry  salt,  and  let  it  stand  24 
hours  to  drain  off  the  blood.  Then  prepare  a  pickle  of  the 
following  ingredients  ;  the  quantities  mentioned  being  suf- 
ficient for  one  ham  of  a  middle  size.  Take  one  pound  of 
brown  sugar,  a  quarter  i)ound  of  salt-petre,  half  a  pint  of 
bay  salt,  and  three  pints  of  common  salt  ;  incorporate 
these  ingredients  in  a  iron  pan  over  the  fire,  stirring  them 
continually  till  they  acquire  a  moderate  degree  of  heat 
These  make  a  pickle,  and  in  this  your  hams  most  remain 
for  three  weeks,  frequently  turning  them  that  every  part 
may  have  the  benefit  of  the  pickle  ;  in  this  time  they  will 
be  ready  to  smoak. 

VII.    Method  of  purifying  Tallow,  to  make  Candles. 

Take  five  eights  of  Tallow,  and  three  eights  of  mutton- 
suet  ;  melt  them  in  a  copper  cauldron,  with  half  a  pound 
of  hot  v;ater  to  each  pound  of  grease.  As  soon  as  they 
are  melted,  mix  eight  ounces  of  brandy,  one  of  salt  of  tar- 
tar, one  of  cream  of  tartar,  one  of  sal  ammoniac  and  two 
of  pure  dry  pot-ash.  Throw  the  mixture  into  the  cauldron; 
and  make  the  ingredients  boil  a  quarter  of  an  hour  ;  then 
let  the  whole  cool-  The  next  day  the  tallow  will  be  found 
upon  the  surface  of  the  water,  in  a  pure  cake.  Take  it 
out,  and  expose  it  to  the  action  of  the  air,  on  canvass  for 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  5cc.         23 J 

some  davs.  It  will  become  white,  ami  almost  as  hard  as 
wax.  The  dew  is  very  favorable  to  bleechmg.  Make 
your  wicks  of  fine,  even  "cotton  ;  give  them  a  coat  of  mel- 
ted wax  ;  then  cast  your  mould  candles.  They  will  have 
much  the  appearance  of  wax  ;  and  one  of  six  to  the  pound 
Nvill  burn  fourteen  hours  and  never  run. 

VIII.     To  Jire serve    Farsni/is    and  various  ether  roots. 

Take  them  up  in  April,  wash  the  earth  from  them,  and 
dry  them,  either  in  an  oven  after  bread  has  been  taken 
out,  or  in  the  sun.  If  made  perfectly  dry,  they  will  keep 
any  length  of  time,  even  for  a  voyage  round  the  world. 

To  prepare  them  for  cooking,  soak  them  in  warn^  wa- 
ter, for  about  an  iiour ;  tliey  become  tender,  and  sweet  to 
the  taste  as  if  fresh  drawn  from  the  ground. 

We  remark  further,  that  there  is  no  doubt  but  that 
many  kinds  of  roots,  and  fruit  might  be  preserved  by  dry- 
ing and  be  very  useful  either  in  families,  or  to  take  upon 
long  sea  voyages. 

IX.     Chinese  manner  of  curing  Ginseng. 

They  gather  the  root  sound  and  good,  (not  when  the 
plant  is  in  flower)  and  gently  wash  the  earth  from  it, 
being  careful  not  to  break  the  skin.  Then  in  a  very  flat 
iron  stew  pan,  boil  some  water,  put  in  the  root,  and  let  it 
lie  three  or  f-our  minutes,  but  not  so  long  as  to  injure  or 
break  off  the  skin,  when  oncuttingthe  root,  the  inside  will 
appear  of  a  light  straw  colour.  Tiiey  then  take  a  clean 
linen  cloth,  and  having  wiped  the  ginseng  clean  and  dry, 
they  place  the  stew-pan  over  the  gentlest  fire,  and  lay  in 
it  a  row  of  ginseng.  Here  they  let  it  dry  gradually,  turn- 
ing it  leisurly,  till  it  is  something  elastic,  but  not  too  dry  ; 
afterwards  they  take  a  damp  clean  cloth  in  which  they 
roll  up  the  longest  pieces  in  parallel  lines,  and  wrap  them 
up  very  tight,  binding  them  hard  round  with  thread ;  after 
being  dried  a  day  or  two  by  a  very  slow  fire,  they  unpack 
the  same,  and  repeat  the  packages  of  the  inside  and  moist 
part,  until  it  is  all  like  the  outside,  and  the  whole  dry 
enough  to  sound  like  a  piece  of  wood,  when  dropped  upon 
a  table.  The  heaviest  pieces,  of  a  straw,  or  light  brown 
colour,  are  the  best. 

To  preserve  the  same. 

They  take  a  box  well  lined  with  lead,  and  put  into  a 
larger  one  with  quick  lime,  (to  prevent  vermin)  and  close 
the  whole  against  air  and  weather. 


236  SECRET  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

X-  0?!  the  culturcand  curing  of  Ginseng.     Another  vjay. 

Ginseng  should  be  collected  in  the  driest  days  in  Octo- 
ber, and  immediately  after  it  comes  out  of  the  ground, 
should  be  spread  on  boards  under  a  shelter  where  the  wind 
can  blow  freely,  and  when  dry,  the  dust  can  be  brushed 
off.  It  should  have  no  connection  with  the  heat  of  the  sun 
or  tire,  or  be  washed.  When  one  barrel  is  put  up  so,  it 
will  fetch  more  than  fifty  ban.els  cured  the  other  way. 

XI.     On  the  manufactory  of  Kclfi- 

Kelp  is  made  of  the  different  sorts  of  sea  weeds  thrown 
upon  the,  shore  or  gathered  upon  the  rocks,  which  must  be 
dried  a  little  in  the  sun, and  afterwards  burnt  in  a  kiln  made 
of  stones  found  upon  the  shore  ;  this  kiln  is  made  in  a 
cylindrical  form,  'about  two  feet  in  diameter.  In  this  is 
burnt  a  small  parcel  of  the  weed,  and  before  it  is  reduced 
to  ashes>  more  is  thrown  on  till  the  kiln  is  full,  or  the  me- 
terials  are  expended.  This  reduces  the  ashes  to  a  hard  and 
solid  cake,  by  the  he^t  of  the  kiln,  and  quantity  of  salt  in 
the  herb.  Thus  the  Kelp  is  reduced  to  a  kind  "^of  pot-ash 
which  is  used  for  making  alum,  common  glass  bottles,  and 
hard  soap. 

XII.     On  making  Barilla. 

Barilla  is  made  from  a  weed  commonly  called  sweet 
fern,  which  when  it  has  attained  its  growth,  is  cut  down, 
and  let  dry,  afterwards  it  is  burnt,  and  calcined  in  pits, 
hke  iime  kilns,  dug  in  the  ground  for  that  purpose,  which 
are  closely  covered  up  with  earth,  so  that  no  air  may 
come  at  the  tire.  The  matter  by  this  means,  in  not  redu- 
ced into  ashes  only,  but  is  made  into  a  very  hard  stone, 
like  rock  salt,  which  is  forced  to  be  broken  with  hammers 
to  get  it  out.  Barilla  is  used  in  soap  and  glass  manufac- 
tories, 8cc. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  observe, 
that  there  are  many  plants  and  weeds  that  grow  in  great 
abundance  in  the  United  States,  and  which  could,  no 
doubt,  be  converted  into  ashes,  &c.  and  very  useful  in 
many  manufactories. 

XIII.     Method  of  making  Pearl- Ashes  as  practised  in 
Hungary  and  Poland. 

Most  of  the  manufactories  of  calcined,  or  pearl-ashes 
in  Hungary  are  carried  on  in  the  woods.  The  buildings 
they  use,  are  wooden  sheds  slightly  put  up,  so  as  to  be 
taken  to  pieces  and  carried  from,  one  forest  to  another. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  kc.         23r 

They  find  the  oak  tree,  which  bears  acorns,  to  be  the 
best,  wood,  and  always  prefer  the  oldest.  Twelve  and  a 
half  bushels  of  ashes  makes  one  hundred  weight  of  calci- 
ned, or  pearl  ashes.  There  is,  however,  a  great  difference 
in  the  nature  of  ihe  wood  ;  that  cut  in  the  forests  of  Ca- 
nissa  and  Tjagadorn  yields  double  the  quantity  of  lixivial 
salt  which  the  wood  does  in  the  forests  near  Eperie^nder 
•the  Carpathian  mountains.  This  ought  to  make  people 
cautious  in  their  choice  of  proper  wood ;  too  much  atten- 
tion cannot  be  had  to  this  point,  although  to  some  its  im- 
portance may  not  appear  at  first  view. 

When  the  wood  is  felled  and  cut  into  billets,  it  is  burnt 
on  a  large  hearth  in  a  kind  of  kiln  ;  they  commonly  place 
them  at  the  side  of  a  hill,  and  throw  the  wood  down  the 
chimney  into  the  fire.  They  keep  the  ashes  several 
months  in  a  dry  place,  as  the  salts  are  discharged  more 
readily  after  the  ashes  have  been  preserved  some  time, 
than  from  new  ashes  ;  they  also  sift  the  ashes  to  get  the 
charcoal  out,  for  when  the  charcoal,  left  in  the  ashes 
comes  into  the  lye  vats,  it  soaks  in  a  good  deal  of  the  lye, 
which  is  a  great  loss. 

0/  lixivating  the  ashes- 

To  lixivate,  or  draw  the  salts  out  of  the  ashes  by  filter- 
ing them,  they  use  casks  about  the  size  of  a  hogshead  ; 
tht*y  are  about  two  feet  ten  inches  high,  and  have  a  double 
bottom,  the  uppermost  is  placed  nine  or  ten  inches  above 
the  under  one, and  is  bored  with  several  holes  to  let  the  lye 
through  ;  the  undermost  has  a  hole  to  let  the  l>e  drop 
gently  into  a  trough  or  receiver  ;  the  space  between  the 
two  is  filled  with  straw.    Twelve  or  fourteen  such  casks 
being  ranged  in  a  row,  upon  a  trough,  are  filled  with  ashes 
and  by  means  of  a  gutter  laid  upon  the  casks,  with  a  hole 
corresponding  to  each  crisk,  water  is  conveyed  into  them 
from  a  pump;  this  water  passing  through  the  ashes,carries 
their  salts  along  with  it,  and  so'long  as  it  is  coloured,  they 
continue  to  let  it  run  through,  after  which  they  shift  ihe 
ashes,  and  the  last  of  the  lye  thus  procured,  not  being 
strong  enough,  is  poured  upon  a  second  or  third  cask,  till 
it  so  strong  that  an  egg  will  swim  in  it.     The  casks  used 
for  this  purpose  are  made  of  oak  ;  pine  is  improper  ;  it 
impregnates  ihe  lye  with  a  resinous  matier,  which  is  found 
to  give  a  bad  colour  to  the  pearl  ashes.  Though  we  have 
mentioned  oak  casks,  as  preferable  to  pine,  yet  oak  is  sub- 
ject to  an  inconvenience  ;  the  staves  warp  by  means  of  the 
iye,  and  the  casks  soon   leak.    White  cedar  vessels  are 
best,  this  wood  being  equally  free  from  the  inconveniences 
r.f  both  the  former.     Where  this  wood  is  not  readily  pro* 
X  2 


238  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &g. 

cured,  cypress  or  white  pine  might  answer  in  its  place 
The  lye  when  drawn  off,  is  kept  to  settle  and  depurate  in 
receivers  on  cisterns  ;  they  are  careful  in  this  part  of  the 
process,  to  have  the  lye  as  clear  as  possible,  for  on  this 
point  depends  the  fine  colour  of  the  pearl-ashes.  Indeed, 
too  nnuch  attention  cannot  b*e  paid  to  having  the  lye  clear, 
andjliiould  it  still  remain  impure,  after  standing  to  settle, 
the  detect  may  be  remedied  in  this  manner  : — When  the 
lye  first  boils  in  the  kettle  hereafter  described,  the  dregs 
will  settle,  and  maybe  lifted  from  the  bottoms  of  the 
kettles  with  a  ladle. 

Of  eyafiorating  the  lye. 

When  the  lye  is  thus  procured,  they  proceed  to  evapG= 
ate  the  wartery  particles  by  ebullition,  or  boiling  ;  this 
they  call  making  black  pot  ash.  For  this  purpose  they 
use  iron  pans,  much  like  those  used  in  making  salt  :  they 
are  about  four  feet  diameter  at  the  top,  and  near  three 
feet  at  the  bottom.  Between  every  pair  of  these  pans,  they 
have  a  brass  boiler,  considt-rably  less  than. the  pans  — 
They  are  fixed  in  masonry  like  a  sugar  baker's  row  of 
ot  pans,  with  a  fire  place  below  them,  and  an  open  chim- 
ney to  carry  off  the  steam.  They  use,  according  to  the 
largeness  of  tiie  work,  three,  six,  nine,  or  twelve  pans  and 
boilers.  Suppose  they  work  only  two  iron  pans,  and  the 
boiler,  they  begin  by  filling  one  pan,  and  the  boilt- r  with 
lye,  and  then  making  a  fire  :  in  proportion  as  the  lye  eva- 
porates and  diminishes  in  the  iron  pan,  it  is  supplied  with 
boiling  lye  from  the  boiler,  which  is  again  supplied  with 
cold  lye. 

When  the  first  pan  has  boiled  ten  or  eleven  hours,  they 
begin  the  second,  and  supply  it  continually  from  the  boiler 
as  the  first  was  supplied,  and  when  the  salts  begin  to 
thicken  in  the  first  pan,  no  more  lye  is  added,  but  the  fire 
is  continued,  and  the  mass  becomes  thick  and  hard,  this 
is  what  is/Called  black  pot-ash;  it  is  cut  into  pieces,  takea 
out,  and  fresh  lye  put  into  the  pan,  and  the  operation  con- 
tinued. When  the  first  pan  is  half  evaporated,  the  second 
is  begun,  by  which  means  they  never  discontinue  the 
«vork,  till  they  have  finished  the  lye. 

Of  calcining  the  black  pot-ash. 

The  process  of  calcining  the  black  pot-ash,  rendering  it 
of  a  fine  whitish  blue  colour,  and  able  to  stand  the  wea- 
ther, without  running  into  a  hquid,  is  performed  in  an 
oblong  furnace,  in  the  midst  of  which,  there  is  a  hearth, 
with  a  border  of  bricks  somewhat  raised,  to  prevent  th& 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  239 

pot-ash  from  falling  into  the  fire  during  the  calcination. 
There  is  a  door  to  the  hearth,  through  which  the  pot-ash 
is  put  into  the  furnace,  and  a  door  on  each  side  to  put 
wood  and  fire  into  the  fire  places.  The  furnace  is  arch- 
ed over  with  a  double  arch  ;  three  holes  are  contrived 
in  the  centre  of  it,  to  carry  off  the  smoke  and  vapors  into 
the  chimnej',  which  is  placed  at  the  front  of  the  furnace. 

When  a  sufficient  quantity  of  black  pot-ash  is  ready, 
they  begin  to  calcine,  and  make  it  a  rule  never  to  leave  off, 
or  let  the  furnace  cool,  till  they  have  finished  the  whole. 
The  black  pot*ash  is  broken  into  lunr.ps,  about  the  bigness 
of  a  man's  fist,  and  spread  upon  the  heurth  five  or  six 
inches  thick,  the  iron  door  is  then  shut,  and  a  gentle  fire 
is  made,  taking  care  to  prevent  the  pot- ash  from  running 
or  melting,  which  too  violent  a  heat  would  occasion. — 
When  the  pot-ash  grows  red  hot,  it  n'ust  be  stirred  with 
an  iron  rake  to  make  it  calcine  equally  ;  when  it  whitens 
the  flames  becomes  bright,  and  the  fire  is  increased  to  the 
greatest  degree,  but  so  as  by  no  means  to  melt  the  black 
pot-ash.  When  they  want  to  know  if  the  calcination  has 
succeeded,  they  take  a  few  lumps  out,  and  if,  in  breaking 
them,  they  fiiid  them  white  in  the  middle,  it  is  a  sign  they 
are  enough  done.  1  he  iron  hearth  door  is  always  kept 
shut,  except  when  they  are  stirrmg  the  black  pot-ash  ;  but 
in  order  to  observe  the  progress  of  the  calcination,  they 
have  a  small  hole.or  door,  in  the  iron  hearth  door,  through 
■which  they  look  into  the  furnace.  When  the  calcination  is 
finished,  the  pearl- a^hcs  are  raked  out  upon  a  pavement 
before  the  furnace,  and  packed  into  casks  of  fifteen  or 
sixteen  hundred  weight.  When  the  furnace  has  cooled 
a  little,  more  black  pot  ash  is  put  in  to  ciilcine  ;  and  by 
the  workmen  relieving  one  another,  they  continue  calci- 
ning till  all  the  black  pot-ash  is  done.  Four  men  and  a 
boy  will  make  forty-two  tons  of  pearl-ash  in  a  twelve 
month,  if  the  work  is  rightly  understood,  and  properly 
carried  on. 

Pear]  ashes  thus  prepared  by  calcination,  are  more  va» 
lued  ;  consequentv  bear  a  higher  price,  than  a  common 
vegetable  salt  melted  in  the  pan.  The  pearl- a.shes  can  be. 
put  to  every  purpose,  on  account  of  the  colour  ;  whereas, 
that  melted,  cannot  for  the  same  reason.  Calcined,  or 
pearl-ashes  stand  the  weather  better,  and  do  not  so  readily 
run  to  a  liquid,  as  the  melted.  The  same  quantity  of  lye 
will  make  a  ton  of  calcined,  or  pearl-ashes,  as  goes  to 
make  a  ton  of  melted  pot  ash  of  the  same  strength  But 
the  former  will  be  more  valuable,  and  fetch  abetter  price 
at  market. 

In  addhion  to  the  foregoing  essay  on  the  manufacture 
of  pearl-ashes,  the  following  remarks  upon  the  method 
practised  in  the  United  States  are  not  thought  improper. 


240         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

When  the  lye  is  prepared,  and  made  clear  by  standing 
as  before  directed,  the  watery  parts  are  to  be  evaporated 
by  boiling. 

For  this  end,  two  or  more  pans  are  fixed  in  mason 
work,  side  by  side,  with  a  fire-place  under  the  whole,  and 
an  open  chimney  to  carry  of  the  steam  These  pans  are 
usually  about  four  feet  diarrteter,  their  depth  about  half 
the  breadth,  rounding  regularly  from  the  margin  to  the 
bottom,  so  as  to  form  the  half  of  a  hollow  globe,  or  a  figure 
nearly  similar  The  pans  are  to  be  filled  witli  lye  and  a 
strong  fire  kept  un<!er  them.  As  the  watery  part  evapo- 
rates, the  salt  forms  upon  the  bottom  and  side  of  the  pans, 
from  whence  they  are  taken  by  a  ladle,  and  put  into  a 
small  pan  (fixed  also  in  mason-work)  with  a  fire  under  it, 
to  evapor  te  the  remaining  watry  panicles. 

As  the  lye  diminishes,  and  the  salts  form  and  are  lifted 
from  the  large  pans,  fresh  lye  must  be  added,  and  this 
operation  continued,  as  long  as  a  supply  of  lye  can  be  had, 
%vithout  suffering  the  kettles  to  cool.  Two,  four,  or  six 
kettles  may  be  made  use  of  according  to  the  extent  of  the 
design. 


CHAP.  XX. 

MEDICAL  RECEIPTS,  &c,  • 

I.  The  most  ea^y.  and  certain  method  of  iirescrving  7ne?i, 
and  animals  ivno  have  been  bitten  by  mad  creatures^ 
Jrom  being  seized  noith  the  dn^order  usually  called  the 
canine  madness,  or  hydrophobia. 

This  remedy  is  made  known  by  professer  de  Meder  of 
Friburgh,  and  is  pre i  are d  r;s follows: 

Dilute  thirty  grains  of  the  surgeous  caustic  stone  (called 
the  Lapis  infernalis,  b\  drugisti*-)  in  one  pound  of  water. 
If  the  wound  be  small  and  deep,  dilute  it  according  to  art, 
and  then  cleanse  it  well  with  the  aforementioned  lye.  If 
the  sensibihty  of  the  part  will  permit,  let  it  be  bound  up 
with  pledgets  well  soaked  m  the  lye,  laid  thereon  ;  but  if 
the  part  be  very  sensible  let  it  be  well  washed  with  the 
lye,  which  may  be  again  washed  off  with  common  warm 
water,  and  then  bound  up  wiih  drv  bandai^es. 

This  cleansing  by  means  of  the  lye,  may  be  often 
repeated  every  day,  provic'ed  there  be    no  inflamation- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         241 

All  the  wounds  that  have  been  treated  as  above,  are  to  be 
healed  in  the  usual  manner. 

IL  Receipt  for  the  cure  of  the  Scurvey,  Le/irosy,  i^'c. 

This  medicine  is  an  agreeable  vegetable  syrup,  easily 
made,  pleasant  to  take,  mild  in  its  operution,  and  attend- 
ed with  the  advantage  of  knowing  every  ingredient  of 
which  it  is  composed  ;  they  are,  of  a  male  speed  well, 
four  ounces  ;  bark  of  eider,  two  ounces ;  winters  bark, 
three  ounces;  angelica  root,  sliced  thin,  eight  ounces  ; 
cumfrey  root,  and  fennel  root  sliced,  of  esch  four  ounces. 
Boil  these  together  over  a  slow  fire  m  two  gallons  of  salt 
water,  till  one  half  is  consumed  ;  thensirain  (>ff  the  decoc- 
tion into  a  clean  earthen  pan,  and  let  it  stand  all  night  to 
settle  ;  in  the  morning,  carefully  pour  off  the  liquor  from 
the  sediment,  and  in  this  liquor,dissoive  thr  e  p<;und  of 
treble  refined  sugar,  and  two  pounds  of  virgin  honey, 
"which  are  to  be  gently  simmered  into  a  thin  s\  rup. 

The  dose  is  a  large  tea-cupful,  night  and  morning,  or 
in  some  cti{>es,  mornins;  noon,  and  n:^ht,  adding  to  each 
dose,  at  the  time  of  taking  it,  a  small  tea-spoonful  of  Dr. 
Huxam's  essence  of  antimony,  which  greatly  improves 
the  medecine. 

III.  The  negro  Casar^s  cure  for  fiohon,Jor  discovering 
which  the  assembly  of  South  Carolina  purchased  his 
freedom^  and  gave  him  an  annuity  of  one  hundred 
pound  S' 

Take  the  roots  of  plantane,  and  wild  hoarhound,  fresh 
or  dried,  three  ounces,  boil  them  together  in  two  quarts 
of  water  to  one  quart,  and  strain  it  ;  of  this  decoction  let 
the  patient  take  one  third  part  three  mornings  fasting, 
successively,  from  which,  if  he  finds  any  relief,  it  must  be 
continued  until  he  is  perfectly  recovered  ;  on  the  contra- 
ry, if  he  finds  no  alteration  after  the  third  dose,  it  is  a  sign 
that  he  is  not  poisoned,  or  that  it  has  been  with  such  poison 
thatCxsar's  antidote  will  not  remedy  it,  so  he  may  leave 
off  the  decoction. 

During  the  cure,  the  patient  must  live  on  spare  diet, 
•and  abstain  from  eating  mutton,  pork,  butter,  or  any  other 
fat  or  oily  food. 

N.  B.  The  plantane  or  hoarhound  will  either  of  them 
cure  alone,  but  thty  are  most  efficacious  together. 

In  summer  you  may  take  one  handful  of  the  root  and 
branches  of  each,  instead  of  three  ounces  of  the  roots  of 
each. 

For  drink  during  the  cure,  let  them  take  the  following : 


242         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

Take  of  the  roots  of  the  golden  rod,  six  ounces,  or  in    i 
summer,  two  large  handsful  of  the  roots  and  branches,    ' 
and  boil  them  in  two  quarts  of  water  to  one   quart,  to    i 
"which  also  may  be  added,  a  little  hoarhnund  and  sassafras; 
to  this  decoction>  after  it  is  strained,  add  a  glass  o^  rum  or 
brandy,  and  sweeten  it  with  sugar  for  ordinary  drink. 

SoT.etiii«^s  an  inward  fever  attends  such  as  are  poison- 
ed, for  which  he  ordered  the  following  : 

Take  one  pint  of  wood  ashes  and  three  pints  of  water, 
stir  and  mix  them  well  together,  let  them  stand  all  night 
and  strain  or  decant  the  lye  off  in  the  morning,  of  which 
ten  ounces  may  be  taken  six  mornings  following,  warmed 
or  cold  according  to  the  weather. 

The  symptoms  attending  such  as  are  poisoned,  are  as 
follows: 

A  pain  of  the  breast,  difficulty  of  breathing,  a  load  at 
the  pit  of  the  stomach,  an  irregular  pulse,  burning  and 
violent  pains  of  the  viscera  above  and  below  the  naval, 
very  restless  at  night,  sometimes  wandering  pains  over  the 
whole  body,  a  reaching  inclination  to  vomit,  profuse 
sweats  (which  prove  always  serviceble)  giimy  stoolsj 
both  when  costive  and  loose,  the  face  of  a  pale  and  yellow 
colour,  sometimes  a  pain  and  inflamation  of  the  throat, 
the  appetite  is  generally  weak,  and  some  cannot  eat  any  ; 
those  who  have  been  long  poisoned,  are  generally  very 
feeble,  and  weak  in  their  limbs,  sometimes  spit  a"  great 
deal,  the  whole  skin  peels,  and  Hkewise  the  hair  falls  off. 

IV,  Cesar's  cure  for  the  bite  of  a  Rattle-snake. 

Take  of  the  roots  of  plantane  or  hoarhound,  (in  sum- 
mer, roots  and  branches  together),  bruise  them  in  a  mor- 
ter,  and  squeeze  out  the  juice,  of  which,  give  as  soon  as 
possible  one  large  spoonful ;  if  the  patient  is  swelled,  you 
must  force  if  down  his  throat,  this  will  generally  cure  ; 
but  if  he  finds  no  relief  in  an  hour,  you  may  give  another 
spoonfuU,  which  never  hath  failed. 

if  thp  roots  are  dried,  they  must  be  moistend  with  a  lit- 
tle water. 

To  the  wound  may  be  applied  a  leaf  of  good  tobacco, 
moistened  with  a  little  rum. 

V.  On  the  cultivation  of  the  Pofi/iy -plant,  and  the  method 
offirocuring  o/iiiim. 

Opium  is  the  produce  of  the  papaver  somniferum  of 
Linnxus,  which  as  a  genus,  comprehends  two  species,  viz. 

1.  The  double,  2.  the  single  ;  each  of  which  includes  se- 
veral varieties,  as  to  the*  colour  of  thfe  flowers,  some  being 
white,  some  red,  others  purple  and  varigated- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c.        343 

The  poppy  seeds,  in  this  country  should  be  sown  or 
planted  about  the  middle  of  M^}\  in  rich  moist  ground. 

The  ground  should  be  formed  into  plats  of  about  four 
feet  broad.  The  seeds  should  be  planted  in  rows  ab( >ut 
ten  or  twelve  inches  apart  each  way.  Shallow  holes,  of 
an  inch  in  depth,  should  be  n.ade  in  the  rows,  at  the  dis- 
tance above  mentioned  ;  the  seeds  put  in  and  covered  over 
evenly  :  aft^r  which  they  are  to  remain  till  the  plants  are 
grown  about  four  inches  high,  when  they  may  be  fre- 
quently watered  and  manured,  especially,  if  j^be  land  is 
dry,  and  not  fertile  ;  the  best  manure  is  said  to  be  a  com- 
post ot  dung,  ashes,  and  nitrous  earth. 

The  ground  should  be  kept  clear  from  weeds,  which 
may  be  done  with  ver>'  little  trouble,  with  a  small  hoe, 
especially  if  the  poppies  are  planted  in  rows,  as  before  di- 
rected. 

This  is  all  that  is  necessary  to  be  said  on  the  cultivation 
of  the  plant,  I  shall  now  describe  the  method  of  obtaining 
its  juice,  which  when  inspissated  to  a  pilular  consistance, 
is  called  opium. 

I'he  states  of  the  plants,  wherein  they  are  found  to  yield 
the  most  juice,  are  just  before,  in  the  time  of,  and  im- 
mediately after  flowering.  I'he  method  of  procuring  the 
juice  is  this  ;  in  a  sunny  day  cut  off  the  stalks  about  an 
inch  below  their  flowers,  and  as  soon  as  the  juice  ap- 
pears, '  (which  it  does  at  first,  equally  well  on  the 
part  of  the  stalk  cut  off,  as  on  the  part  left  standing)  col- 
lect it  with  a  small  scoop  or  pen-knite,  which  last  answers 
the  purpose  very  well.  After  the  juice  ceases  to  appear 
on  the  top  of  the  standing  stalk,  it  should  be  cut  off  about 
an  inch  lower,  and  it  will  yield  almost  as  freely  as  before  ; 
and  this  cutting  off  is  repeated,  as  long  as  any  juice  ap- 
pears. 

The  juice  when  collected,  should  be  put  into  an  evapo- 
rating pan,  placed  in  the  sun*s  heat,  and  frequently  stir- 
red till  it  becomes  of  a  consistance  to  be  formed  into  pills, 
or  made  into  rolls  for  keeping,  or  transportation. 

VI.   Recei/igfor  the  Whoofiing  Cough. 

Take  of  dried  colts-foot  leaves,  (that  has  not  been  ga- 
thered more  than  a  year), a  good  handfull,  cut  them  small 
and  boil  them  in  a  pint  of  spring  water,  till  half  a  pint  is 
boiled  away  ;  then  take  it  off  the  fire,  and  when  it  is  al- 
most cold,  strain  it  through  a  cloth,  squeezing  the  herb  as 
dry  as  you  can,  and  then  throw  it  away.  Dissolve  in  the 
liquor,  an  ounce  of  brown  sugar-candy,  finely  powdered, 
and  to  a  child  three  or  four  years  old,  give  one  spoonful  of  it, 
cold  or  warm,  as  the  season  proves,  three  or  four  times  a 


244         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

day  or  oftener,  if  the  fits  of  coughing  come  frequently,  till 
well.  For  older  or  younger  persons,  the  quantity  may  be 
increased,  or  decreased  as  t-nay  be  thought  proper. 

This  preparation  is  useful  also  in  asthma's  phthysic, 
shortness  of  breath,  consumption's,  &c. 

N.  B.  When  sugar-candy  cannot  conveniently  be  had, 
perhaps  honey  or  good  clean  brown  sugar  would  answer  ; 
Bugar-candy,  is  however  to  be  preferred. 

VII.  Bfcei/itfor  curing'  weak  and  ivee/iing  Eyes. 

Make  a  strong  decoction  of  cammomile  boiled  in  sweet 
cows  milk ;  with  this  let  the  patient  eves  be  bathed  se- 
veral times  a  day  as  warm  as  can  be  suffered  without  un- 
easiness. Persons  almost  blind,  have  been  cured  bv  per- 
severing in  the  use  of  this  prescription,  it  is  proper  how- 
ever, to  observe  that  trequently  five  or  six  weeks  bathing 
of  the  eyes  is  necesbary. 

VIII.  ^  receifit  for  a  Cold. 

Take  a  large  spoonful  of  lintseed,  four  penny  worth  of 
stick  licorice,  and  a  half  a  pound  of  sun  raisons.  Put  them 
into  a  gallon  of  soft  water,  and  let  it  simmer  over  a  slow 
fire,  till  it  be  reduced  one  half  ;  then  add  to  it  half  a 
pound  of  brown  sugar  candy,  fine  powdered-  Drink  half  a 
pint  ot  this  at  going  to  bed.  adding  thereto,  a  little  white 
wine  vinegar,  or  lemmnn  juice  :  this  should  be  added  to 
each  quantity  as  you  take  it;  not  to  the  whole.  A  little  of 
this  may  be  taken,  whenever  the  cough  is  troublesome. 
It  is  useful,  even  in  the  first  stages  of  a  consumptioo. 


CHAP.  XXI. 
SECRETS  ENTERTAINING  AND  USEFUL. 

I.     To  whiten  Wax, 

Melt  it  in  a  pipkin  without  boiling.  Then  take  a  wood- 
€Jn  pestle,  which  steep  in  the  wax  two  fingers  deep,  and 
plunge  immediately  into  cold  water  to  loosen  the  wax 
from  it,  which  willcom.e  off  like  sheets  of  paper.  When 
you  have  got  all  your  wax  out  of  the  pipkin  and  made  into 
flakes,  put  it  on  a  clean  towel,  and  expose  it  in  the  air  on 
the  grass  till  it  is  white.    Then  melt  it  and  strain  it 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         245 

through  a  muslin  to  take  all  the  dirt  out  of  it,  if  there  be 
any. 

II.     Another  method  of  whitening  Wax  in  large  manu- 

faccories. 

1.  Melt  your  wax  in  a  large  copper,  such  as  brewing  ov 
washing  coppers  fixed  in  mortar  ;  have  a  kind  of  trough, 
made  of  oak  or  deal,  and  six  or  seven  feet  long,  at  the  far- 
ther end  of  which  a  cock  of  cold  water  will  be  placed  in 
the  wall  to  fill  it,  and  at  the  other,  towards  the  copper,  a 
tub  laid  upon  it,  to  receive  the  wax  from  the  copper.  Let 
that  tub  have  also  acock  at  four  fingers  breadth  from  the 
bottom,  and  in  that  tub  pour  the  melted  hot  wax  from  the 
copper.  Cover  it  with  a  blanket  in  four  doublets  to  make 
it  retain  its  heat,  and  let  it  rest  thus  a  couple  of  hours,  to 
give  time  to  the  dirt  and  nastiness,  which  may  happen  to 
be  in  it,  to  settle  at  the  bottom  of  the  tub.  When  that  is 
done,  fill  vour  trough  with  cold  water  ;  then  have  a  kind 
of  tin  basket  to  fit  the  width  of  the  trough  so  as  to  sit  upon 
its  edges,  and  bored  at  bottom  with  twelve  or  sixteen  small 
holes,  at  equal  distances,  so  as  to  receive  the  melted  wax 
from  the  cock  of  the  tub,  and  render  it  in  the  trough 
through  the  said  small  holes  of  its  bottom,  while  with  a 
polished  wooden  stick  or  roller,  under  the  tub,  and  arm- 
ed at  both  ends  with  iron  in  the  form  of  a  spit,  and  half  of 
the  thickness  of  which  enters  into  the  water,  while  the 
other  keeps  above  it,  you  keep  continually  turning  equally 
and  regularly.  This  process  will  make  the  wax  flake  in 
the  water  into  small  ribbons  as  thin  as  silver  paper.  Now 
in  fine  clean  hampers,  or  hand-baskets,  made  of  white 
peeled  willow  twigs,  take  your  wax  from  the  trough  with 
a  wooden  shovel,  and  carry  it  to  an  open  field,  where  lay 
it  thick  upon  a  coarse  cloth  in  the  sun,  and  turn  it  every 
other  day  for  two  weeks  running,  after  which  time  it  will 
be  of  a  very  perfect  whiteness. 

2.  Now  clean  well  your  copp6r,  and  put  in  alum-water 
to  warm,  in  which  throw  your  whitened  wax,  and  stir 
well.  When  melted,  renew  the  operation  as  before,  and 
carry  it  again  in  the  open  field  to  expose  it  in  the  sun.  In 
a  week's  time  it  will  have  its  whiteness  in  the  highest  de- 
gree it  can  be  carried  to. 

3.  Melt  then  for  the  last  time,  and  put  in  small  round 
cakes,  which  is  done  by  casting  it  in  small  moulds  carved 
purpovsely  on  several  boards. 


246         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

III.     To  7}iake  mutton  suet  candles,  in  imitation  of  wax 
candles. 

1.  Throw  quicklime  in  melted  mutton  suet ;  the  lime 
will  fall  to  the  bottom,  and  carry  along  with  it  all  the  Has- 
tiness of  the  suet,  so  as  to  leave  it  as  pure  and  fine  as  wax 
itself 

2.  Now  if  with  one  part  of  that  suet,  you  mix  three  of 
real  wax,  you  will  never  be  able  to  find  out  the  mixture, 
not  even  in  the  moulding  and  casting  wax  for  figures  or 
ornaments. 

IV.     To  make  soafi.     • 

The  white,  or  as  it  is  called,  the  Genoa  soap,  is  made 
with  wood  ashes,  Alicant  kali,  lime  and  olive  oil.     The 
black  is  made  of  the  same  materials,  with  this  exception, 
that  it  is  made  with  the  faeces  and  tartar  of  the  oils.    The  i 
marble  is  made  with  Alicant  kali,  bourde,  and  lime  ;  and  j , 
when  it  is  almost  done,  they  take  some  red  earth,  which  1) 
they  call  cinnabar,  with  copperas;  they  boil  these  togeth-  i  j 
er  and  throw  it  in  the  copper  where  the  soap  is.     It  oc-  ic 
casions  a  blue  marbling,  as  long  as  the  copperas  keeps  the   J 
better  of  the  two  ingredients  ;  but  as  soon  as  the  cinnabar  , ' 
has  at  last  absorded  the  vitriol,  this  blue  hue  subsides  en-  i 
tirely,  and  the  red  alone  predominates.    Therefore,  to  u 
form  the  soap,  make  different  lyes  with  all  these  sorts  of  I ,. 
matters,  and  when  they  are  sufficiently  charged  (which  !v 
^beginners  know  by  their  cari7ing  an  egg  swimming,  with-  il} 
out  its  sinking  to  the  bottom,  and  experienced  soap-boil-  !'( 
ers  are  judges  of  by  dejustation,  and  the  time  they  have 
been  at  work)  they  put  all  these  lyes  in  proper  coppers,  \  i 
and  pour  at  the  same  time  in  Provence  and  Languedoc,   i 
oil  of  olive  ;  in  Germany,  grease  ;  and  in  England,  oil  of  ;  ' 
fish.  Then  boil  all  together  with  a  great  blasting  fire  ;  and  ! 
eighteen  or  twenty  days  afterwards  these  oils  have  so  well  i  < 
aspired  all  the  salts  of  the  lye,  that  this  is  left  quite  flat  and  h 
untasty.     Then  by  the  cocks  which  are  at  the  bottom  of 
the  coppers,  the  water  or  lye  is  let  out  and  the  lup  of  soap 
taken  out  and  placed  to  dry  in  houses  built  on  purpose  to 
make  it  take  a  sufficient  consistence. 


V.     To  jirevent  any  thing  from  burning  in  the  firC' 

Pound  into  powder  cherry-tree  gum  and  alum  in  equal 
quantities,  and  imbibe  that  powder  with  strong  wine-vine- 
gar,which  leave  thus  a  digesting  on  warm  ashes,  for  the 
space  of  twenty  four  hours.  Jf  with  this  composition  you 
rub  any  thing  and  throw  it  in  the  fire,  it  will  not  be  con- 
sumed by  it. 


I 


SECRIiijf S  IN  ARTS.  TRADES,  &c.         249 

XII.    Fruit. 

To  preserve  trees  from  being  injured  by  worms,  cater- 
pillars, 6cc.  Clear  away  the  gum  that  issues  out  of  the 
tree  affected  by  the  worm  ;  strew  a  httle  flour  of  brimstone 
around  the  root,  and  cover  it  with  fine  mould,  that  it  may 
not  be  blown  away,yet  so  that  the  sun  may  operate  through 
and  cause  the  brimstone  to  fumigate,  which  will  destroy 
the  worm.  One  pound  of  brimstone  is  sufficient  for  near 
two  hundred  trees.  The  same  kind  of  sulphur  is  destruc- 
tive to  caterpillars.  Split  the  end  of  a  pole  or  stick,  put 
therein  a  few  brimstone  matches,  set  thenj  on  fire,  and 
hold  the  pole  under  the  nest. 

XIIL     7^0  kill  all  sorts  of  worms  in  cattle. 

Take  saven,  chop  it  small,  and  beat  it  with  fresh  butter, 
make  it  in  small  balls,  and  give  it  to  the  beast  in  a  pro- 
portionable quantity.  Sweet  wort  and  a  little  black  soap 
mixed  together  as  a  drink,  maketh  all  sorts  of  beasts 
void  the  worms. 

XIV.     To  kill  maggots  in  sheep.. 

Take  goose  grease,  tar  and  brimstone,  mix  them  to- 
gether on  the  fire,  and  when  cold  anoint  the  troubled 
places  therewith. 


Y   2 


05 

DISTILLING. 

(From  the  works  o/' A.  Cooper,  Distiller, J 


B 


ISTILLx\TION  is  the  art  of  seperating,  or  drawing 
off  the  spirituous,  aqueous,  and  oleaginous  parts  a  mixt 
body  from  the  grosser,  and  more  terrestrial  parts,  by 
iTieans  of  fire,  and  condensing  them  again  by  cold. 


CHAP.    I. 
OF  THE  DISTILLATION  OF  SPIRITS. 

By  the  distillation  of  spirits  is  to  be  understood  the  art 
by  which  all  imfiammable  spirits,  brandies,  rums,  arracks, 
and  the  like,  are  prcKiured  from  vegetable  substances,  by 
the  means  of  a  previous  fermentation,  and  a  subsequent 
treatment  of  the  fernr  anted  liquor  by  the  alembic,  or  hot 
still,  with  its  proper  worm  and  refrigeratory. 

But  as  it  is  impossible  to  extract  vinous  spirits  from  any 
vegetable  subject  without  fermentation  ;  and  previous  to 
this.  Brewing  is  often  necessary,  it  will  be  aequisite  first 
to  consider  thes^  operations. 

Article    I. 

0/  Brewings  in  order  to  the  Production   of  inJiaminabU 
Spirits. 

By  Brewing,  we  mean  the  extracting  a  tincture  from 
some  vegetable  substance,  or  dissolving  it  in  hot  water, 
by  which  means  it  becomes  proper  for  a  vinous  ferment- 
tion. 

A  solution,  or  fermentable  tincture  of  this  kind,  may  be 
procured,  with  proper  management,  from  any  vegetable 
substance,  but  the  more  readily  and  totally  it  dissolves  in 
the  floid,  the  better  it  is  fitted  for  fermentation,  and  the 
larger  its  produce  of  spirits.  All  inspissated  vegetable 
juices,  therefore,  as  sugar, honey,  treacle,  manna,  &c.  are 
very  proper  tor  this  use,  as  they  tot-^.Uy  dissolve  in  water, 
forming  a  clear  and  uniform  solution  :  but  malt,  for  its 
cheapness,  is  generally  preferred  in  England,  though  it 
but  imperfectly  dissolves  in  hot  water.  The  worst  sort  is 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c.         251 

commonly  chosen  for  this  purpose  ;  and  the  tincture,  with- 
out the  addition  of  hops,  or  trouble  ot  boiling  it,  is  directly 
cooled  and  fermented. 

But  in  order  to  brew  with  malt  to  the  greatest  advan- 
tage, the  three  following  particulars  should  be  carefully 
attended  to :  First,  The  subject  should  be  well  prepared; 
that  is,  it  should  be  justly  malted,  and  well  ground  :  for  if 
it  be  too  little  malted,  it  will  prove  hard  and  flmty  ;  and 
consequently,  only  a  small  part  of  it  dissolve  in  the  water  : 
and.on  the  other  hand  if  too  much  malted,  a  great  part  of 
the  finer  particles,  or  fermentable  matter,  will  be  lost  in 
the  operation.  With  regard  to  grindmg,  the  malt  should 
be  reduced  to  a  kind  of  coarse  meal ;  for  experience  has 
shewn,that  by  this  means,  the  whole  substance  of  the  malt 
inay,through  the  whole  process,  continue  mixed  with  the 
tincture, and  be  distilled  with  it ;  whereby  a  larger  quantity 
of  spirit  will  be  obtained, and  also  great  part  ot  the  trouble, 
time,  and  expence,in  bre  wing  saved.  This  secret  depends 
upon  thoroughly  mixii^,or  briskly  agitating  the  meal,  first 
in  cold  water,and  then  in  hot ;  and  repeatmg  this  agitation 
after  the  fermentation  is  finished  ;  when  the  thick  turbid 
wash  must  be  immediately  committed  to  the  still.  And 
thus  the  two  operations  of  Brewing  and  Fermenting  may 
very  commodiously  be  reduced  to  oncj  to  the  no  small 
profit  and  advantage  of  the  distiller. 

The  second  particular  to  be  attended  to,  is,  that  the 
water  be  good,  and  properly  applied.  Rain  water  is  the 
best  adapted  to  Brewing ;  for  it  not  only  extracts  the  tinc- 
ture ot  the  malt  better  than  any  other,  but  it  also  abounds 
in  fermentable  parts,  whereby  the  operation  is  quickened 
and  the  yield  of  the  spirit  increased.  The  next  to  that  of 
rain  is  the  water  of  rivers  and  lakes,  particularly  such  as 
-wash  any  large  tract  of  a  fertile  country,  or  receive  the 
sullage  of  populous  towns.  But  whatev  r  water  is  used,  it 
must  stand  in  a  hot  state  upon  the  prepared  malt,  espe- 
cially if  a  clear  tincture  be  desired  ;  but  the  greatest  care 
must  be  taken  to  prevent  the  malt  from  running  into 
lumps  or  clods  ;  and,  indeed,  the  best  way  to  prevent  this 
is  to  put  a  small  quantity  of  cold  water  to  the  malt  first, 
and  mix  them  well  together,  after  which  the  remaining 
quantity  of  water  may  be  added  in  a  state  of  boiling,  with- 
out the  least  danger  of  coagulating  the  malt,  or,  what  the 
distillers  call,  making  a  pudding. 

it  has  been  found  by  experience,  that  a  certain  degree 
of  heat  isnecessary  to  extract  the  whj)e  virtue  of  the  malt; 
this  degree  may,  by  the  above  method,  be  determined  to 
the  greatest  exactness,  as  the  heat  of  boiling  water  may 
at  once  be  lessened  to  any  assigned  degree  of  warmth,  by 
a  proper  addition  of  cold  water  ;  due  regard  being  had 


252         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

to  the  season  of  the  year,  and  the  temperature  of  the  air. 
This  improvement,  with  that  mentioned  above,  of  redu- 
cing the  two  operations  of  Brewing  and  Fermentation  to 
one,  will  be  attended  with  considerable  advantage. 

With  regard  to  the  proper  quantity  of  water,  it  must  b^ 
observed,  that  if  too  little  be  used,  a  viscid  clammy  mix- 
ture will  be  produced,  little  disposed,  to  ferment,' nor 
capable  of  extracting  all  the  soluble  parts  of  the  malt.  On 
the  other  hand,  too  much  water  renders  the  tincture  thin 
and  aqueous,  and  by  that  means  increases  the  trouble  and 
expence^n  all  parts  of  the  operation.  A  due  medium, 
therefore,  should  be  chosen  ;  and  experience  has  shewn, 
that  a  wash  about  the  goodness  of  that  designed  by  the 
London  brewers  for  ten  shilling  beer,  will  best  answer  the 
distiller's  purpose.  When  a  proper  quantity  of  water  is 
mixed  with  the  malt,  the  whole  mass  must  be  well  agita- 
ted that  all  the  soluble  parts  of  the  malt  may  often  come 
in  contact  with  the  aqueous  fluid,  which  being  well  satu- 
rated after  standing  a  proper  tirT\e,  must  be  drawn  off, 
fresh  water  poured  on,  and  the  agitations  repeated,  till  the 
whole  virtue,  or  saccharine  sweetness  of  the  malt  is  ex- 
tracted, and  only  a  fixed  husky  matter  remains,  incapable 
of  being  dissolved  by  either  hot  or  cold  water. 

The  third  requisite  particular  is,  that  some  certain  ad- 
ditions be  used,  or  alterations  made  according  to  the  sea- 
son of  the  year,  or  the  intention  of  the  operator  The  sea- 
son of  the  year  is  very  necessary  to  be  considered.  In  the 
sumnter,  the  water  applied  to  the  malt  must  be  colder 
than  in  the  winter ;  and,  in  hot  sultry  weather,  the  tincture 
must  be  suddenly  cooled,  otherwise  it  will  turn  eager  ;  and 
in  order  to  check  the  too  great  tendency  it  has  to  fermen- 
tation, when  the  air  is  hot,  it  will  be  necessary  to  add 
a  proper  quantity  or  unmalted  meal,  which  being  much 
less  disposed  to  fermentation  than  malt,  will  greatly 
moderate  its  impetuosity,  and  render  the  operation  suit- 
able to  the  production  of  spirits,  which  by  a  too  violent 
fermentation,  would  in  a  great  measure  be  dissipated^, 
and  lost. 

Article  IL 

Of  Fermentation. 

The  tincture,  or,  as  the  distillers  call  it,  the  wash  being 
prepared  as  in  the  foregoing  article,  it  is  next  to  be  fer- 
.mented  ;  for  without  this^peration,  no  vinous  spirit  can 
be  produced. 

By  fermentation  is  meant  that  intestine  motion  perform- 
ed by  the  instrumental  efficacy  of  water,  whereby  the 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec         253 

salt,  oil  and  earth  of  a  fermentable  subject,  are  separat- 
ed, attenuated,  transposed,  and  again  collected,  and  re- 
composed  in  a  particular  manner. 

The  doctrine  of  fermentation,  is  of  the  greatest  use,  and 
should  be  well  understood  by  every  distiller,  as  it  is  the 
very  basis  of  the  art ;  and,  perhaps,  if  more  attef  ded  to, 
a  much  purer  spirit,  as  well  as  a  greater  quantity  of  it, 
might  be  procured  from  the  same  materials  than  at  pre- 
sent We  shall  therefore  lay  douna  concise  theory  of 
fermentation,  before  we  proceed  to  deliver  the  practice. 

Every  fermentable  subject  is  composed  of  salt,  oil,  and 
a  subtle  earth  ;  but  these  partici  s  are  so  small,  that, 
when  asunder,  they  are  in  preceptible  to  the  senses  ;  aid, 
therefore,  when  mixed  with  an  aqueous  fluid,  the>  leave  it 
transparent  ;  neither  have  fermentable  bodies  any  taste, 
except  that  of  sweetiier,s. 

These  particles  are  each  composed  of  salt,oil  and  earth, 
intimately  mixed  in  an  actual  cohesien,  connexion,  and 
union  ;  and,  therefore,  when  any  one  of  those  principles 
too  much  abounds  in  any  Mibject,  so  that  an  intimate  union 
is  pi^evented,  the  whole  efficacy  of  the  fermentation  is  ei- 
ther stopped  or  impaired,  or  at  least  limited  to  one  cer- 
tain species. 

This  equal  connexion  of  salt,  oil,  and  earth,  into  a  single 
compound  particle,  forms  a  corpuscle  soluble  in  water; 
or  to  speak  more  philosophically,  this  compountl  corpuscle 
is,  by  mean  of  its  sahne  particles,  connected  '  th  the  ..que- 
ous  corpU'>cles.  and  moved  up  and  down  wj  h  them.  But 
"wliere  these  corpuscles  are  not  thus  connected  wiili  the 
•water,  a  number  of  them  j^in  together,  and  from  either 
a  gross,  or  a  1  -ose  chaffy,  and  spungy  matter. 

When  these  comp'  und  p.-irriCles  are  diluted  with  a 
small  quantity  of  an  eqn^ous  fluid,  tlu  y  feel  slippery, 
clumriy,  and  unctuous  to  the  touch,  aid  effect  the  taste 
with  a  kind  of  roj^y  sweetii;  ss.  And  when  a  proptr  quan- 
tity of  the  fluid  's  added,  a  comuiouon  is  presently  excit- 
ed, and  afterwards  a  subsle  separation. 

Thi>  comiootion  and  st  paraiion  first  begins  in  the  whole  ^^ka  • 
substance  ;  for  l)efore  tlTe  a(iditit)n  of  uattr,  the  subject 
may  rem.iin  in  dry, solid,  and  large  puces,  as  mmalt,  su- 
gar, &c.  wh^ch  being  reduced  to  povder.  each  grain 
thereof  is  an  agreement  ot  many  sn»aller  et mpourd  cor- 
pwscles  ;  these  being  put  into  water  dissolve,  ai»d  sepa- 
rately float  therein,  till  at  length,  the\  become  so  sniall  as 
to  be  invisible,  and  only  thicken  the  consistance  of  the  li- 
quor. 

These  corpuscles  being  thus  separated  from  one  ano- 
ther, there  next  ensues  a  separation  ot  their  component 
particles  ;  that  is,  the  salt,  the  oil,  and  the  earth,  are  di- 
vided by  the  interposition  of  the  aqueous  particles. 


254         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  See 

The  first  commotion  is  no  more  than  a  bare  solution  ; 
for  the  saline  particles  being  easily  dissolvable  in  water, 
they  are  immediately  laid  hold  of  by  the  aqueous  parti- 
cles, and  carried  about  with  them.  But  the  succeeding 
separation,  or  fermentative  motion,  is  a  very  different 
thing  :  for  by  this  the  saline  particles  are  divided  from 
those  of  oil  aixl  earth,  partly  by  the  impulse  of  the  others 
in  their  motion,  and  partly  by  the  force  of  the  aqueous 
particles, which  are  now  continually  meeting  and  dashing 
against  them. 

This  motion  is  performed  by  the  water,  as  a  fluid,  or 
ag^reg^te  of  an  infinite  nuaiber  of  particles,  in  actual 
and  perpetual  motion  ;  their  smallness  being  proportion- 
able to  that  ot  the  fermenting  corpuscles,  and  their  motion, 
or  constant  suscf-ptibility  of  motion,  by  warmth,  and  the 
motion  of  the  air,  disposing  them  to  move  other  subtle 
moveable  corpuscles  also.  1  he  certain  agreement  of  fig- 
ure, or  size,  between  the  aqueous  particles,  and  those  of 
the  salt  in  the  fermentable  subject,  tends  greatly  to  in- 
crease this  commotion  ;  for  by  this  means,  they  are  readi- 
ly and  very  closely  connected  together  ;  and  therefore 
move  almost  like  one  and  the  same  compound  corpuscle; 
whilst  the  water  is  not  at  all  disposed  to  cohere  immedi- 
ately with  either  the  oil  or  earth,  And  thus  an  unequal 
concussion  is  excited  in  the  compound  corpuscles  of  the 
fermentable  subject  ;  which  concussion  at  length  strikes 
out  the  saline  particle,  loosens  the  others,  and  finally  pro- 
duces a  separation  of  the  original  connexion  of  the  sub- 
ject. 

x^n  aqueous  fluid,  therefore,  is  the  true,  and  indeed,  the 
only  iiisti undent  for  procuring  a  fermentable  motion  in 
these  c  mpound  corpuscles  of  the  subject  ;  for  were  an 
oily  fluid  poured  upon  any  fermentable  subject,  no  vinous 
fermentation  would  ensue  ;  as  th-  oil  could  neither  give  a 
sufficient  impulse  on  the  compound  corpuscles,  which  are 
grosser  than  its  o>vn  constituent  particles,  nor  divide  the 
oily  or  saline  particles  of  the  subject  from  their  connexion 
with  the  others,  which  detain,  an^|,  as  it  were,  envelope 
or  defend  them  from  its  action. 

The  compound  corpuscles  of  the  fermentable  subject 
bfing  aff-cted  by  the  perpetual  motion  of  the  particles  of 
the  aqueous  flu  d,  a  proi)er  degree  of  motion  is  necessary, 
or  that  the  particles  move  with  a  proper  degree  of  veloci- 
ty, which  principally  depends  on  external  he  at  A  con- 
siderable degree  of  cold,  indeed,  will  not  absolutely  pre- 
vent fermentation,  though  it  will  greatly  retard  it ;  and  a 
boiling  heat  will  |)revent  it  still  more.  A  tepid,  or  middle 
degree  of  heat  between  freezing  or  boiling,  is  therefore  the 
most  proper  for  promoting  and  qu  ckening  the  operation. 

The  admission  of  air>also  though  not  of  absolute  neces^ 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         255 

sity,  yet  greatly  promotes  and  quickens  the  action,  as 
being  a  capital  instrument  in  putting  in  a  proper  degree  of 
motion,  the  oily  particles  of  the  subject.  But  whilst  the 
air  thus  contributes  to  hasten  the  etfVct,  it  causes  at  the 
same  time  bv  its  activity  snme  remarkable  alterations  in 
the  oily  particles  ;  for  it  not  only  moves,  but  absolutely 
dissolves  and  displaces  them  from  their  original  connex- 
ions ;  and  thus  carries  them  o^ itself  from  tht  whole  mass. 
And,  therefore,  though  the  consideration  of  the  air  does 
not  so  properly  belong  to  feraientation  in  the  general,  yet 
it  does  in  particular  ;  as  having  an  accidental  power  to  al- 
tar every  species  ot  this  operation  ;  consequently  its  agen- 
cy ought  to  be  well  understood,  either  to  procure  altera- 
tions at  pleasure  in  the  fermenting  mass,  or  to  prevent 
and  correct  impending  dangers. 

The  oily  particles  thus  separated  and  dissolved  by  the 
air,  are  also  elastic,  though  they  probably  derive  that 
property  from  their  intercourse  with  the  air  itself,  and 
there  being  rendered  extremely  minute. 

When.therefore.an  aqueous  fluid  is  added  to  a  fernrienta- 
ble  subject,  exposed  to  a  temporate  heat,  a  fermentative 
struggleimmediately  arises,the  saline  part  of  the  compound 
particles  being  dissolved  by  the  continual  intestine  motion 
of  the  "water,  and  carried  up  and  down  with  it  in  all  di- 
rections, amidst  an  infinite  number  of  other  particles,  as 
"vvell  fermentable  as  aqueous  ones  ;  whence  by  this  colhs- 
ion  and  attrition,  the  saline  particles  are  dissolved,  and  se- 
parated from  their  connexion  with  the  oily  and  earthy. 
And  as  the  oily  particles  are  the  most  subtle  and  elastic, 
they  would,  by  this  means,  be  thrown  up  to  the  surface  of 
the  liquor,  and  carried  ofFby  the  air,  were  they  not  close- 
ly connected  with  the  earthy  ones.whose  gravity  prevents 
their  evaporation,  and,  by  coming  in  contact  with  others 
of  the  same  kind,  form  aggregations,  and  ^ink  down  with 
the  oily  particles,  to  the  bottom.  But  before  these  can 
form  a  bulk  too  large  to  be  supported  by  the  water.many  of 
the  oily  particles  are,  by  their  frequent  collisions  with  the 
aqueous  fluid,  separated  from  the  earthy  ones  ;  and  by 
degrees  more  strongly  connected  again  with  the  saline 
ones  :  whilst,  on  the  other  hand,  the  same  sahne  particles 
imbibe  some  of  the  earthy  ones,  which  being  lett  single, 
upon  their  separation  from  the  oily  particles,  floated  about 
separately  in  the  fluid. 

And  hence  proceed  the  several  different  consequences  of 
fermentation;  VIZ.  1  From  theseparationof  the  saline  par- 
ticles of  the  fermentable  subject  proceeds  the  tart,  saline, 
or  acid  taste  of  the  liquor ;  which  is  more  sensible  at  first, 
before  the  liquor  is  duly  composed  and  settled,  or  the  due 
arrangement  and  connexion  of  the  saline  particles  with 


^56         SFXRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec. 

those  of  the  oily  and  earthy  kinds,  connpleted ;  after  whicU 
the  liquor  proves  milder,  softer,  or  less  pungent.  2.  From 
the  oily  particles  being  set  at  liberty,  proceeds  the  strong 
smell  of  the  liquor,  and  the  head  or  shining  skin  upon  the 
surface.  3.  The  earthy  particles  collecting  together  in 
clusters,  cause  the  ftuid  to  appear  turbid,  and  afterwards 
a  visible  earthy,  or  clay- like  matter  to  be  precipitated  :  and 
some  of  the  eanhy,  parts,  in  their  motion,  arriving  at  the 
head  or  oily  skin  on  the  surface,  cause  it  to  thicken  ;  and 
afterwards  taking  it  down  along  with  it,  thus  constitute  the 
lees  which  abound  in  oil.  4.  From  this  new  struggle  or 
collision,  which  is  productive  both  of  solution  and  a  new 
connexion  in  this  saline  and  earthy  corpuscles,  proceeds 
the  ebullition  in  fermentation.  And,  lastly,  by  the  same 
repeated  coalition  of  the  oily  with  the  aqueous  and  sahne 
particles  the. inflammable  spirit  is  produced. 

Having  thus  laid  down  a  concise  theory  of  fermentatioiit 
we  shall  now  proceed  to  the  practice. 
The  wash  being  brought  to  a  tepid,  or  hike- warm  state  in 
the  backs,  a  proper  quantity  of  a  good  conditioned  ferment 
is  added;  but  if  the  ferment  be  soiled.it  should  be  previous- 
ly broke  into  small  pieces,  and  gently  thinned  either  with 
the  hand,  wisp,  &c.  in  a  little  of  the  tepid  liquor.  A  com- 
plete and  uniform  solution,  however,  should  not  be  at- 
tempted, because  that  would  greatly  weaken  the  power 
of  the  ferment,  or  destroy  its  future  efficacy.  The  whole 
intended  quantity,  therefore,  being  thus  loosely  mixed 
with  a  moderate  parcel  of  the  liquor,  and  kept  in  a  tepid 
state,  either  by  setting  it  near  the  fire  or  otherwise,  atid 
free  from  the  too  rude  commerce  of  the  external  air ;  more 
of  ^e  insensibly  warm  liquor  ought  to  be  added,  at  pro- 
per intervals,  till  at  length,  the  whole  quantity  is  properly 
set  to  working  together.  And  thus,  by  dividing  the  busi- 
ness into  parts,  it  may  much  more  speedily  and  eflfcctually 
be  performed,  than  by  attempting  it  all  at  once. 

The  whole  quantity  of  liquor  being  thus  set  to  work, 
secured  in  a  proper  degree  of  warmth,and  defended  from 
a  too  free  intercourse  of  the  external  air,  nature  itself  as 
it  were,  finishes  the  process,  and  renders  the  liquor  fit  for 
the  still. 

By  ferments,  we  mean  any  substance>  which  being  add- 
ed to  any  rightly  disposed  fermentable  liquor,  will  cause 
it  to  ferment  much  sooner  and  faster  than  it  would  of  it- 
self;  and,  consequently,  render  the  operation  shorter  ;  in 
contradiction  to  those  abusively  called  so,  which  only  cor- 
rect some  fault  in  the  liquor,  or  give  it  some  flavor.  Hence 
we  see,  that  the  principal  use  of  ferments  is  to  save  time, 
and  make  dispatch  in  business  ;  whilst  they  only  occasion- 
ally, and,  as  it  were  by  accident,  gave  a  flavor,  and  in- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         257 

crease  the  quantity  of  spirit.  And,  accordingly,  any  fer- 
mentable liquor,  may,  without  the  addition  of  any  I'er- 
ment  by  a  proper  management  of  heat  alone,  be  brought 
to  ferment,  and  even  more  perfectly,  though  much  slower, 
than  with  their  assistance. 

These  ferments  are,  in  general,  the  flowers  and  faeces  of 
all  ternientable  liquors,  generated  and*  thrown  to  the 
surface,  or  deposited  at  the  bottom,  either  during  the  act 
of  fermentation,  or  after  the  operation  is  finished. 

Two  of  these  are  procurable  in  large  quantities,  and  at 
a  small  expence  ;  we  mean  beer-yeast  and  winc-lees  ;  a 
prudent  and  artificial  management,  or  use  of  which, 
might  render  the  business  of  distillation  much  more  facile 
certain  and  advantageous. 

It  has  been  esteemed  very  difficult,  and  a  great  dis- 
couragement in  the  business  of  distillation,  to  procure  a  suf- 
ficient stock,  of  these  materials,  and  preserve  them  at  all 
times  ready  for  us  .  The  whole  secret  consists  in  dexter- 
ously freeing  the  matter  from  its  supeiflious  moisture  ; 
because  in  its  fluid  state,  it  is  subject  lo  a  farther  fermen- 
tation, which  is  productive  of  corruption  ;  in  which  state 
it  becomes  intolerably  loetid  and  cadaverous. 

The  method  of  exposing  it  to  the  air  till  it  has  required 
a  proper  consistence  is  subject  to  great  inconveniences; 
and  so  peculiar  and  careful  a  management  necessary,  that 
^t  rarely  succeeds. 

The  best  way,  therefore,  is  to  press  it  very  slowly  and 
gradually,  in  a  thick,  close,  and  strong  canvas  bag,  after 
the  manner  of  wine- lees,  bv  the  tail  press,  till  it  becomes  a 
kind  of  cake  ;  which,  thoui^h  soft,  will  easily  snap  or 
break  dry  and  brittle  between  the  fingers.  Being  reduced 
to  that  consistence,  and  closely  packed  up  in  a  tight  cask 
it  will  remain  a  lon.i^  time  uncorrupted,  preserve  its  fra- 
grancv,  and  consequently  fit  to  be  used  for  fermenting  "the 
finest  liquor. 

The  same  method  is  also  practicable,  and  to  the  same 
advantage,  in  the  flowers  or  yeast  of  wine,  which  may  be 
thus  commodiously  imported  from  abroad  :  or,  if  tiiese 
cannot  be  procured,  others  of  equal  efficacy  may  be  pro- 
cured from  fresh  wine-lees,  by  barely  mixing  and  stirrmg 
them  into  a  proper  warm  liquor,  whence  the  lighter  or 
more  volatile  and  active  partsof  the  lees  will  be  thrown  to 
the  surface  and  may  easily  be  taken  off  and  preserved,  by 
the  above-mentioned  method, in  any  desired  quantity  And 
hence,  by  a  very  easy  process,  an  inexhaustable  supply  of 
the  most  useful  terments  may  be  readily  and  successively 
procured,  so  as  to  prevent  for  the  future  all  occasion  of 
complamt  for  want  of  them,  in  the  distiller's  business. 
Experience  has  demonstratedj  that  all  ferments  abound 
z 


25S         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec- 


much  mere  in  essential  oil,  than  the  liquor  which  produc-  i^ 
ed  them  :  and  consequently  they  retain,  in  a  very  high  jr 
degree,  the  snnell  and  flavour  of  the  subject.  It  is  there-  jv 
fore  requisite,  before  the  fernient  is  applied,  to  consider  i>' 
what  flavor  is  intended  to  be  introduced,  or  ^vhat  species  ja 
of  fernnent  is  most  proper  for  the  liquor.  it, 

The  alteration  thus  caused  by  ferments  is  so  considera-  jj* 
ble,  as  to  render  any  neutral  fermentable  liquor  of  the  }| 
same  flavor  with  that  which  yielded  the  ferment.  This  Is 
observation  is  of  n.uch  greater  moment  than  will  presently  jlj 
be  conceived,  for  a  new  scene  is  hereby  opened,  both  in  the  i 
business  of  distillation,  and  others  depending  upon  fermen-  ia, 
tation  It  must,  however,  be  observed,  that  its  benefit  If} 
does  not  extend  to  malt,  treated  m  the  common  meth«  d  ; 
nor  to  any  other  subject  but  what  affords  a  spirit  tolerably 
pure  and  tasteless.  For  otherwise,  instead  of  produc- 
ing a  sim^ple,  jure  and  uniform  flavor,  it  causes  a  com- 
pound, mixed  and  unnatural  one.  How  far  the  fine  stiller 
may  profit  by  it,  well  deserves  his  attention  ;  a;id  whether 
our  native  cyder  spirit,  crab,  spirit,  &c.  \vhr'v;-'vave  very  jj 
iittl/  flavor  of  their  own,  may  not,  by  thVs^tihce,  be  iii 
brought  nearly, if  not  entirely,  into  the  state  of  some  foreign  b 
brandies,  so  highly  esteemed,  is  recommended  to  expe-  r; 
rience.  '  "" 

It  is  common   with  distillers,  in  order  to  increase  the  ii 
quantity  of  spirit,  to  give  it  a  particuli^r  flavor,  ro in iproVe  i 
its  vinosity,  to  add  several  things  to  the  liquor  during  the    1 
time  it  is  in  a  state  of  fermentation  ;  and  these  additions 
mav  properly  be  reduced  to  salts,  acids, aromatics  and  oils. 

All  rich  vegetable  juices,  as  tr^^acle, honey, Sec  which  ei- 
ther want  a  natural  acid,  have  been  deprived  of  it,  or  con- 
tain \t  in  too  small  a  quantity,  will  be  greatly  improved  by 
adding  at  the  beginning  oi  the  operation,  a  small  quantity 
of  the  vegetable  or  fine  mineral  acids  ;  as  oil  of  sulphur, 
G'auber's  spirit  of  salt,  juice  ot  lemons,  or  an  aqueous  so- 
lu  ion  of  tartar  These  additions  will  either  give,  or  great- 
ly improvt  the  vinous  acidity  of  the  subject,  but  not  in- 
crease the  quantity  of  the  spirit,  that  intention  being  per- 
for  Vied  by  aromatics  and  oils. 

Ail  pimgent  aroinat'.Co  have  a  surprising  quality  of  in- 
creasing tne  quantity  of  the  spirit  as  well  as  in  altering  or 
improving  the  flavor;  but  their  use  requires  that  the  fer- 
me  atioii  should  be  performed  in  close  vessels.  And  if  a 
lar  e  quantity  be  intended  to  be  added,  care  must  be  ta- 
ke., not  to  do  it  all  at  once,  lest  the  oiliness  of  the  ingredi- 
en  -  should  chtck.  the  operation.  But  if  the  flavor  be  the 
pr  ci,  al  intention,  they  should  not  be  added  till  the  ope- 
ra on  is  ne-rly  finished.  After  the  same  manner  a  very 
considerable  quantity  of  any  ebsential  vegetable  oil  may 


I 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  259 

be  converted  into  a  surprisingly  large  quantity  of  inflam- 
mable spirit :  but  great  caution  is  here  also  necessary  not 
to  drop  it  too  fast,  or  add  too  large  a  quantity  at  a  time, 
which  would  damp  the  termentatiou  ;  it  being  the  surest 
lYiethoJ  of  checkin;:;  or  totally  stopping  this  operation  at 
any  point  of  tiine  required.  The  best  method,  therefore, 
of  adding  the  oil  so  as  to  avoid  all  inconveniences,  is  to  rub 
the  oil  in  a  mortar  with  su^ar,  which  the  chem.ists  call 
making  an  Olcesacchariim,  by  which  rrear.s  the  tenacity  ot 
the  oil  will  be  destroyed,  and  the  whole  readilv  mix  with 
the  liquor  and  immediately  W  rment  with  it.  The  distiiler 
would  do  well  to  consider  these  observations  atteiitively, 
as  he  may  thence  forn)  an  advantageous  method  ct  ir> 
creasing  the  quantity  of  spirits,  and  at  the  same  time 
greatly  improve  their  quality  and  flavor. 

But  in  order  to  puttiiese  observations  in  practice,  par- 
ticular regard  must  be  had  to  the  containing  vessel  in 
which  the  fermentation  is  performed,  the  exclusion  of  the 
air,  and  the  degree  of  the  external  heat  or  cold* 

With  regard  to  the  containing  vessel  ;  its  purity,  and 
the  provision  for  rendering  it  occasionally  close,  are  chief- 
ly to  be  on^idered.  In  cleansing  it,  no  soap,  or  other  unc- 
^vtuous  body  should  be  used,  for  fear  of  checking  the  ieinS^"^, 
^  tation  ;  and,  for  the  same  reason,  all  strong  alkaline  lixi- 
riums  should  be  avoiueu.  Lime-water,  or  a  turbid  solu- 
tion of  quick-lime  may  be  employed  for  this  purpose, 
without  producing  any  ill-effect  ;  it  will  also  be  of  great 
service  in  destroying  a  prevailing  acetous  salt,  which  is 
apt  to  generate  in  the  vessels  uhen  the  warm  air  has  free 
access  to  th^m  ;  and  tends  to  prevent  the  order  of  fer- 
mentation, and  instead  of  a  v/ine  or  wash,  prodvice  a  vine- 
gar. Special  care  ivuist  also  be  had.  that  no  remains  of 
yeast,  or  cadaverous  remains  o*^"  former  fermented  mat- 
ters, hang  about  the  vessels,  which  would  infect  whatever 
should  be  aitt^rward)-  put  into  then;  ;  and  cannot,  Avithout 
the  utmost  d\fficults-  be  perfectlv  cured  and  sweetened. 

The  occasional  clos-^  ess  of  the  vessels  may,  in  the 
large  way.  be  provided  for  by  covers  pn  perly  adapted  ; 
and,  in  the  small  way,  by  valves,  placed  in  light  casks. 
These  valves  will  occasionallv  <>ive  the  necessary  vei\t  to 
preserve  the  vessel,  during  the  height  of  the  fermentation; 
the  vessel  otherwise  remainir.g  perfectly  close,  and  im- 
pervious to  the  air. 

it  is  a  mistake  of  a  very  prejudicial  ratr.re,  in  the  busi- 
ness of  fermentation,  to  supjiose.  that  there  is  an  absolute 
neressity  for  a  free  admission  of  the  external  air.  Ihe 
express  pontrarv  is  the  truth,  and  very  great  advant.oges 
will  be  found  by  practising  according  to  this  supposition. 
A  constant  ii.flux  of  the  external  air,  if  it  does  not  c^rry 
off  some  part  of  the  spirit  already  generated,  yet  certainly 


260         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

catches  up  and  dissipates  the  fine,  subtle,  or  oleaginous 
and  saline  particles,  whereof  the  spirit  is  made,  and  thus 
considerably  lessens  the  quantity.  Bv  a  close  ferrrentation 
this  incoiiveniency  is  avoided  ;  all  air,  except  that  includ- 
ed in  the  vessel,  being  excluded.  The  whole  secret  con- 
sists in  leaving  a  moderate  space  for  the  air  at  the  top  of 
the  vessel,  unpossessed  bv  the  liqior.  When  the  liquor 
is  once  fairly  at  »vork  to  bung  it  down  close,  and  thus  suf- 
fer to  finish  the  fermentation,  without  opening  or  giving 
it  any  more  vent  than  that  afforded  it  by  a  proper  valve 
placed  in  the  cask  ;  which,  however,  is  not  of  abolate 
necessity,  when  the  empty  space,  or  rather  that  possess- 
ed by  the  air,  is  about  one  tenth  of  the  gage  ;  the  artificial 
air,  generated  in  the  operation  being  then  seldom  suf- 
ficient to  open  a  strong  valve,  or  at  most  not  to  endanger 
the  cask. 

This  method  may  be  practised  to  good  advantage  by 
those  whose  business  is  not  very  large  ;  but  it  rtquires 
too  much  time  ro  be  used  bv  the  large  dealers,  who  are  in 
a  manner  forced  to  admit  the  free  air,  and  thus  sustain  a 
considt-rable  loss  in  their  quantity  of  spirit,  that  the  fer- 
mentatioti  may  be  finished  in  the  sn, all  time  allowed  for 
that  purpose.  It  n>ay,  however^  be  said,  that  the  silent, 
slow,  and  almost  imperceptible  vinous  fermentation,  is 
universally  the  most  perfect  and  advantageous. 

During  the  whole  course  of  this  operation,  the  vessel 
should  be  kept  from  all  external  cold,  or  considerable 
heat,  in  an  equal,  uniform  ?.nd  moderate  temperature.  In 
the  winter,  a  stove  room,  such  as  is  common  in  Germany, 
would  be  very  convenient  for  this  purpose  ;  the  vessel  be- 
ing placed  at  a  proper  distance  from  the  stove  :  but  at 
other  seasons  no  particular  ap:;.aratus  is  necessary  with  us 
in  England,  if  the  place  allotted  for  the  business  be  but 
well  defended  from  the  summer's  heat,  and  the  ill  effects 
of  cold  bleak  northern  winds. 

The  operrtrion  is  known  to  be  perfected  when  the  hiss- 
ing, or  sm^all  bubbling  noise  can  be  no  longer  heard,  upon 
applying  the  ear  to  the  vessel ;  and  also  bv  the  liquor  itself 
appearing  clear  to  the  eye,  and  having  a  pungent  sharp- 
ness on  the  tongue.  And  thai  it  may  fully  obtain  these 
properties,  and  be  well  fitted  to  yield  a  pure  and  perfectly 
vinous  spirit  by  distillation,  it  should  be  suffered,  to  stand 
at  rest  in  a  somewhat  cooler  place,  if  practicable,  than 
that  in  which  it  was  fermented  ;  till  it  has  throughlv  de- 
posited and  cleansed  itself  of  the  gross  lee,  and  become 
perfectlv  transparent,  vinous  and  fragrant  ;  in  which 
state  it  should  be  committed  to  the  still,  and  the  spirit  ob- 
tained will  not  only  exceed  that  obtained  in  the  common 
way  in  quantity,  but  also  in  fragrance,  pungency,  and  vi» 
nosit}'. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  kc.         261 
Article  III. 
Of  Distillation  in  general. 

Having  in  the  two  preceding  articles  laid  down  the  best 
methods  of  brewing  and  fermentation,  we  shall  now  pro- 
ceed to  the  method  of  distillation- 

x\nd  in  order  to  lead  our  readers  methodically  through 
the  path  which  lies  bef«)re  them,  we  shall  begin  with  ex- 
plaining the  principles  of  distillation  ;  or,  the  method  ot" 
extracting  the  spirituous  parts  of  bodies. 

To  extract  the  spirits  is  to  cause  such  an  action  by  heat, 
as  to  cause  them  to  ascend  in  vapour  from  the  bodies 
which  detain  them. 

If  this  heat  be  natural  to  bodies,  so  that  the  separation 
be  made  without  any  adventitious  means,  it  is  called  fer- 
mentation, which  we  have  already  explained. 

If  it  be  produced  by  fire,  or  other  heating  power,  in 
which  the  alembic  is  placed,  it  is  called  digestion,  or  dis- 
tillation  ;  digestion  if  the  heat  onh  prepares  the  materials 
for  the  distillation  of  their  spirits  ;  and  distillation,  where 
the  action  is  of  sufficient  effic.^cy  to  cause  them  to  ascend 
in  vapour,  and  distil 

This  heat  is  that  which  puts  the  insensible  parts  of  a 
body,  whatever  it  be.  into  moti(;n,  divides  them,  and  causes 
a  passage  for  the  spirits  inclosed  herein,  by  di.sengaging 
them  from  the  phlegm,  and  the  earthy  panicles  by  which 
they  are  inclosed. 

Distillation  considered  in  this  light,  is  not  unworthy  the 
attention  and  countenance  of  the  learned.  This  art  is  of 
infinite  extent  ;  whatever  the  whole  earth  produces, 
flowers,  fruits.i^eeds,  spices,  aromatic  and  vulnerary  plants, 
•doriferous,  drugs.  &c.  are  its  objects,  and  come  under  its 
cognizance  ;  but  we  generally  cor  fine  it  to  liquids  of  taste 
and  smell  ;  and  to  the  simple  and  spirituous  waters  of" 
aromatic  and  vulnerary  slants  With  regard  to  its  utility, 
we  shall  otnit  saying  any  thing  here,  as  we  shall  give 
sufficient  proofs  of  it  in  the  sequel. 

Article  IV. 

Of  Bodies  prosier  for  Distillation. 

This  article  alone  might  make  a  volume,  were  we  to 
make  a  particular  enumeration  of  all  its  p  arts  ;  but,  as  we 
have  already  observed,  we  shall  confine  ourselves  to  the 
distillation  of  simple  and  compound  waters 

If  we  acquit  ourselves  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  public, 
"we  shall  enjoy  the  pleasure  of  having  treated  of  one  par^- 
-      Z2 


262         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  $Ct 

entirely  new  ;  and,  indeed,  the  only  one  that  has  beTis 
overlooked. 

The  bodies  proper  for  distillation,  are  flowers,  fruits, 
seeds,  spices,  and  aromatic  plants. 

By  distillation  and  dii^estion,  we  extract  the  colour  and 
smell  of  flowers,  in  simple  waters  and  essences. 

We  extract  from  fruits,  at  least  from  some,  colour^ 
taste,  &c. 

From  aromatic  plants,  the  distiller  draws  spirits,  essen* 
ces,  simple,  and  compound  waters. 

From  s^-ices  are  procured  essences,  or,  in  the  language 
of  the  chemists,  oils  and  perfumes,  and  also  pure  spirits. 

From  seeds,  or  be  ries,  are  drawn  simple  waters,  pure 
spii  it-,  and  from  some,  as  those  of  annise,  fennel,  and  ju- 
niper, oil. 

1  he  colour  of  flowers  is  extracted  by  infusion,  and  like- 
wise by  digestion  m  brandy  or  spirit  of  wine ;  the  smell  is 
extracted  bv  distillation  ;  the  simple  water  with  brandy, 
or  spirit  of  wine. 

What  is  extracted  of  the  colour  of  flowers,  by  infusion 
in  water  by  a  gentle  heat,  or  by  digestion  in  braiidy,  or 
spirits  of  wine,  is  called  in  the  distiller's  phrase,  tincture 
of  flowers. 

The  colour  of  fruits  is  extracted  in  the  same  manner, 
either  by  infusion  or  digestion  ;  their  taste  is  also  procur- 
ed by  the  same  processes  But  let  it  be  observed, 
that  the  time  oi  these  operations  must  be  limited  ;  for 
otherwise  the  fruit,  after  fermeniation,  vscuild  render  it 
acid.  The  taste  is  also  extracted  by  distillation  in  spirit 
©f  wine. 

From  aromatic  plants,  are  extracted  by  the  alembic, 
pure  spirits,  odours,  and  simple  wtt^^rs  But  thes,e  rf  qu.re 
different  methods  of  distillation.  The  first  by  water,  or 
brandy  only,  the  second  by  rectified, spirit  "^iiich  will  give 
theiTi  the  greatest  excellency  they  are  capable  of 

The  plants  themselves  with  their  flowers  may  also  be 
distilled,  which  is  still  better. 

Fr  .m  spices  are  dra.vn  spirits,  and  oilv,  or  spirituous 
quintessences.  The  spirits  are  drawn  by  brandy,  or  spirit 
of  vvip.e,  with  very  little  water  ;  the  oils  are  distilled  per 
descnifium  ;  and  the  spirituous  quintessences  by  pounding 
the  spices,  and  after  infusing  them  in  spirit  ot  wine,  de- 
canting it  gently  by  inclination. 

Fro.ii  seeds  are  extracted  simple  waters,  spirits,  and 
cils.  Very  few  of  the  first  and  last  spirits  being  what  is 
generally  extracted  from  seeds  and  berries. 

Some  distillers,  through  a  notion  of  frugality,  distil  seeds 
with  water  ;  but  their  liquors  are  not  to  be  compared  with 
Ibose  which  are  distilletj  yf'^  spirits.    When  oils  a^e 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         26:r 

<Jrawn  from  seed>  the  operation  is  performed  either  by  the 
Balneum  Maria,  or  the  vapour-bath. 

We  only  deliver  in  this  place,  the  first  elements  of  each 
of  these  operations,  which  will  be  turther  illustrated  in  the 
sequel  when  we  treat  more  particularly  of  these  subjects. 

Article  V. 

Of  what  is  procured  by  Distillation. 

By  Distillation  are  procured  spirit,  essence,  simple 
waters,  and  phlegm. 

Spirits  are  very  difficult  to  be  defined  I  consider  them 
as  the  most  subtle  and  volatile  parts  of  a  body. 

All  bodies  without  exception  have  spirits  more  or  less. 

These  parts  are  an  ignited  substance,  and  consequently 
by  their  own  nature  dispostd  to  a  violent  motion 

Tliese  volatile  particles  are  more  or  less  disposed  to 
separate  themselves,  as  the  bodies  are  more  or  less  po- 
rous, or  abound  with  a  greater  or  lesser  quantity  of  oiL 

By  the  term  esseiice,  we  understand  the  oleaginous  parts 
of  a  body.  An  essential  oil  is  found  in  all  bodies,  being  one 
of  their  constituent  principles.  I  have  ob-erved  in  all 
distillations,  spirit  ot  wine  excepted,  a  soft  unctuous  sub- 
stance floating  on  the  phlegm  ;  and  this  substance  is  oiJ, 
which  we  call  essence,  and  this  is  what  we  endeavour  to 
extract 

SiiTiple  waters  are  those  distilled  from  plants,  flowers, 
&c.  without  the  help  of  water,  brandy,  or  spirit  of  wine. 
These  waters  are  commonly  odoriferous,  containing  the 
odour  vA  the  body  from  whence  it  is  extracted,  and  even 
exceeds  in  smell  the  body  itself. 

Phlfgm  is  the  aqueous  particles  of  bodies,  but  whether 
an  active  or  passive  principle,  we  shall  leave  to  the  deci- 
sion of  chemists. 

It  is  of  the  last  importance  to  a  distiller  to  be  well  ac- 
quainted with  its  nature ;  many  mistaking  for  phlegm  se- 
veral white  and  clouded  drops, which  first  fall  into  the  re- 
ceiver, when  the  stiil  begins  to  work.  These,  however* 
are  often  the  most  spirituous  particles  ofthe  matter  in  the 
alembic,  and  consequently  ought  to  be  preserved.  What 
has  given  occasion  to  this  mistake,  is  some  humidity  re- 
maining in  the  head,  &c.  of  the  alen  bic  And  had  it  been 
thoroughly  wiped,  the  first  drops  would  have  been  equally 
bright  with  any  during  the  whole  operation. 

The  following  remark  deserves  attention.  In  bodies  that 
have  been  digested,  the  spirits  ascend  first ;  whereas  jn 
charges  not  dfgested  the  phlegm  ascends  before  the  spirift. 
The  reason  of  ^is  is  very  plain  and  natural. 


264        SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

In  substances  previously  digested,  the  action  of  the  fire 
no  sooner  causes  the  matter  in  the  alembic  to  boil,  than 
the  spirits,  being  the  most  volatile  parts,  detach  them- 
selves and  asceiidinto  the  head  of  th^,'  alembic  But  when 
the  matter  to  be  distilled  has  not  undergone  a  proper  di- 
gestion, the  spirits  being  entangled  in  the  phlegm,  are  less 
disposed  to  ascend  till  the  phlegm  itself  separates  and 
gives  them  room  to  fly  upwards 

The  phlegm  being  aqueous  rises  first :  this  is  more  par- 
ticularly observable  in  apices.  I  am,  however,  inclined  to 
believe,  that  wer-  the  operation  periormed  in  an  alembic, 
\vhose  head  was  at  a  great  distanc-  from  the  surface  of 
the  charge,  they  would  not  ascend  high  f^nough  to  come 
over  the  helm,  but  fall  back,  again  by  their  own  gravity, 
and  by  that  means  leave  the  spirits  at  hberty  t^.  Hbcend. 
But  in  the  common  refrigeratory  akmbic  this  always 
hajjpens. 

If  this  observation  be  not  readily  admitted.  I  appeal  to 
experience,  which  I  desire  maybe  the  test  of  every  thing 
I  shall  advance. 

Another  observation,  which  has  verified  the  above  as- 
sertion by  innumerable  instances,  is,  that  in  an  extraor- 
dinary run  of  business,  when  I  had  not  time  sufBcient  to 
digest  the  substances,  1  used  to  bruise  them  in  a  mortar; 
butnot  vithstanding  the  trituration  the  phlegm  rtrst  came 
over  and  afterwards  the  spirits.  But  I  desire  to  be  under- 
stood, that  I  speak  here  only  of  the  volatde  parts  ot  the 
plants  not  drawn  with  vinous  spirits,  but  contained  in  a 
simple  water. 

Another  remark  I  must  add,  and  which  I  hope  will  be 
acceptable  to  the  curious,  as  it  has  not  yet  been  made  pub- 
lic, thotigh  doubtless  the  observation  has  often  occurred  to 
others ;  it  is  this  ;  that  in  mixed  chnrges,  consisting  of 
flowers,  truits.  and  aromatic  plants,  put  into  the  alembic 
■without  a  previous  digestion,  ths  spirits  of  the  flowers  as- 
cend first  ;  and  notwithstanding  the  mixture*  they  con- 
tracted nothing  of  the  smell  or  taste  of  the  truits  and 
plants.  Next  after  the  spirits  of  thc^  flowers,  those  of  the 
fruits  ascend,  not  in  the  least  impregnated  with  the  smell 
or  taste  of  either  of  the  flowers  or  plants.  And  in  the  last 
place,  the  spirits  of  the  plants  distil  no  less  neat  than  the 
former.  Should  this  appear  strange  to  any  one,  experience 
will  convince  him  of  the  truth. 

Another  observation  Ihave  made  on  aromatic  herbs,  is, 
that  whether  they  are  or  are  not  digested,  whether  the 
spirits  or  phlegm  ascend  first,  the  spirits  contain  very  lit- 
tle of  the  taste  and  smell  of  the  plants  from  v  hence  they 
■were  extracted  ;  and  I  have  always  been  obliged  to  put  to 
these  spirits  a  greater  or  lesser  quaotity  of  the  phlegm. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.        265 

in  order  to  give  the  spirits  I  had  drawn  the  taste  of  an 
aromatic  odour  ot  ihe  plants,  the  phlegm  containing  the 
greatest  quantity  of  both. 

This  observation  I  insert  as  of  a  great  use  to  those  who 
practice  distiliation. 

As  the  term  digestion  often  occurs  in  this  essay,  !  cannot 
avoid  pointing  nut  its  advantages,  and  even  shew  the  ne- 
cessity of  using  it  in  several  circumstar.ces. 

Substancesare  said  to  be  iii  digestion  \vhpnthev  are  in- 
fused in  a  tnei^struunr!  over  a  very  slow  fire  This  prtpa- 
ration  is  often  necessary  in  distillation,  for  it  tends  to  open 
the  bodies,  and  tliereby  free  the  spirits  from  their  cor  line- 
ments,  whereby  they  ate  better  enabled  to  ascend. 

Cold  diku  scions  are  ^h^  best  ;  those  mace  b\  fire,  or  in 
hot  materials,  dimmish  the  quality  ot  the  gof'ds,  or  some 
part,  as  the  most  vnUtile,  will  be  lost 

In  order  to  procure  v-ssences,  the  bodies  vrAi^i  be  prepa- 
red by  digestion.  It  is  even  of  ab^tViuce  necessity  for  ex- 
tracting the  spirits  and  essences  of  spices. 

Article  VI- 

Of  the  prufiei  S- anon  for  Disfilling-- 
Flowers  r.f  all  kinds  must  be  distilled  m  their  proper  sea- 
sons. To  begin  with  the  violet,  its  colour  and  sir. ell  can 
only  be  extracted  wheti  it  is  in  its  greatest  vigour,  which 
is  not  at  its  first  appearance,  nor  when  it  bei-ins  to  decay. 
jifiril  is  the  month  in  which  it  is  in  its  izreatcsi  pertection  ; 
the  season  being  never  so  forward  in  March^  as  to  give  the 
violet  its  whole  fragra»  cy. 

The  same  must  be  observed  of  all  other  flowers.  And 
let  them  be  gathered  at  the  hottest  time  ot  the  day  ;  the 
odour  and  fragrancy  ot  flowers  being  then  in  their  great- 
est perfection. 

The  same  observation  holds  good  with  regard  to  fruits; 
to  which  must  be  added,  that  they  are  the  finest,  and  of  the 
most  beautiful  colour,  especially  those  from  whence  tinc- 
tures are  drawn  ;  they  must  be  free  from  all  detects,  as 
the  goods  would  by  that  means  be  greatly  detrimented. 

Berries  and  aromatics  may  be  distilled  at  any  season, 
all  that  is  necessary  being  a  good  choice.  But  m  thi>  dis- 
tillers are  sometimes  mistaken,  as  may  easily  happen 
without  a  very  accurate  knowledge.  We  shall  theretore» 
in  the  sequel,  lay  down  more  particular  directions  for. 
making  a  proper  choice  of  materials. 

Article  VII. 
Of  the  Filtration  of  Liquors 
Filtration  consists  in  passing  liquors  through  some  pq- 


266         SECRETS  IN  ARTS.  TRADES,  &c. 

rous  substance,  in  order  to  free  them  from  those  particles 
which  ob'^cure  iheir  brightness 

Nothing  is  finer  than  a  liquor  newly  distilled;  but  the 
svrup  anri  colouring  particles  render  it  thick  and  opa- 
que :  in  order  therefore  to  restore  their  brightness,  they 
are  filtrated  which  is  done  by  passing  them  through  sand, 
paper,  cloth,  Sec 

All  the  attention  of  the  distiller  cannot,  in  ordinary  ope- 
rations, nlway  prevent  some  aqueous  particles  from  rising 
with  the  spirits,  either  in  the  beginning  of  the  i)rncess,  in 
those  co^npositions  where  they  ascend  first  or  at, the  con- 
clusion when  they  rise  last-  As  this  is  almost  unavoida" 
ble,  so  it  is  also  sometimes  necessary. 

In  distilling  flow«rs,  or  aromatic  plants,  fresh  gathered, 
the  phlegm  rises  first ;  and  this  part  cannot  be  taken  out  of 
the  receiver,  without  depriving  the  spirits  of  a  considera- 
ble part  of  their  fragraicy. 

In  distilling  spices,  their  odour  being  more  entangled, 
will  remain  in  the  alembic,  till  part  of  the  phlegm  is 
drawn  off  But  when  inste.id  of  these  substances,  their 
quintessences  are  used,  the  necessity  ceases.  But  the 
phlegm  coinmonlv  causing  a  cloudiness  in  the  liquor,  it  may 
be  rendered  tolerably  fine,  by  pouring  it  ge-itls  f  ff  by  incli- 
nation, without  the  trouble  of  filtration  ;  the  aqueous  par- 
ticles, by  their  gravity,  falling  to  the  buttom.  But  to  ren- 
der, it  entirely  bright  and  fine,  put  some  cotton  in  a  fun- 
nel, nnd  pour  the  liquor  through  it,  by  which  n-earis  the 
aqueous  particles  will  be  retained  in  the  cotton.  You  must 
ho  A  ever  remember  to  cover  the  tcp  of  the  funnel,  to  pre- 
vent the  most  volatile  parts  of  the  spirits  from  evaporating. 

Article  VIII. 

Of  the  Distillation  of  Mult  Spirits. 

The  wash,  or  liquor,  b°ing  prepared  by  brewing  and 
ferment  ition,  as  directed  in  th-  first  and  .-^ecorid  articles  of 
this  treatise,  the  still  is  to  be  ch  irged  wrth  it,  and  worked 
off  with  a  oretty  brisk  fire.  But  it  bhould  be  observed,  that 
the  only  apparatus,  used  in  this  process,  is  the  alembic 
with  a  refrigeratory^ 

The  Nvash  being  of  a  mucilaginous  nature,  a  particular 
management  is  necessa-  y  to  prevent  its  burning,  and  cause 
it  to  work  ki'.dlv  in  the  still  ;  if  it  should  happen  to  be 
burnt  in  the  operation,  the  spirit  will  have  a  most  disa- 
greeable flavor,  which  can  hardlv  ever  be  removed  ;  and 
therefore  to  prevent  this  ill  effect,  the  wash  should  be 
made  dilute  or  thin,  the  fire  well  regulated,  and  the  whole 
kept  in  a  continual  agitation  during  the  whole  process. 
The  most  judicious  distillers  always  take  care  to  have  their 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c.         26? 

wash  sufficiently  diluted,  and  constantly  find  their  spirit 
the  purer  tor  it.  With  regard  to  the  fire,  it  may  be  easily 
kept  regular,  by  a  constant  attendance,  and  observii.g  ne- 
ver to  stir  it  hastily,  or  throw  on  tresh  tuel ;  and  the  stir- 
ring of  the  liquor  in  the  still  is  to  be  effected  by  mt  an^  of  a 
paddle,  or  bar  kept  in  the  liquor,  till  it  jusi  begins  tobiJl, 
which  is  the  time  for  luting  on  the  head  ;  and  alter  vhich 
there  is  no  great  danger,  but  froM.  the  improper  nian;ige- 
ment  of  the  fiie  :  this  is  the  common  way  ;  but  it  is  no 
easy  matter  to  hit  the  exact  tiuie,  and  the  doing  it  either 
too  Utfi,  or  too  soon  is  attended  with  great  inconvenience, 
so  that  several  have  discovered  other  ui  thods  ;  some  put 
more  solid  bodies  into  the  still  with  the  wa^h  ;  others  place 
some  priiper  matter  at  the  bottom  and  bides  ot  the  still, 
■which  are  the  places  where  the  tire  acts  with  the  greatest 
force. 

The  use  of  the  paddle,  would,  however,  answer  better 
than  either  of  these  methods  could  it  be  continued  during 
the  whole  tiiiie  the  still  is  working  ;  imd  this  may  be  d<.ne 
by  the  following  method  :  let  a  short  tube  of  iron  or  cop- 
per be  soldered  in  the  centre  of  the  still-head,  and  let  a 
cross  bar  be  placed  below  in  the  same  head,  with  a  hole 
in  the  middle,  corresponding  to  that  at  the  top  ;  through 
both  these,  let  an  iron  i)ipe  be  carried  down  in  the  si  ill, 
and  let  an  iron  rod  be  passed  through  this  with  wooden 
sweeps  at  its  end  ;  this  rod  njay  be  continually  worked 
by  a  winch  at  the  still-head,  and  the  sweeps  will  continu- 
ally keep  the  bottnm  and  sides  scraped  clean,  the  inter- 
stices of  the  tube  being  all  the  time  well  crammed  with 
tow,  to  prevent  any  evaporation  of  the  spirit. 

The  same  effect  may  in  a  great  measure,  be  produced 
by  a  less  laborious  method,  namely,  by  placing  a  parcel  of 
cylindrical  sticks  lengthways,  so  as  to  cover  the  whole  bot- 
tom of  the  still,  or  by  throwing  in  a  loose  parcel  oi  faggot 
sticks  at  a  venture  ;  for  the  action  of  the  fire  below  mov- 
ing the  liquor,  at  the  same  time  gives  motion  to  the  sticks, 
making  thtm  act  continually  like  a  parcel  of  stirrers  upon 
the  bottom  and  sides  of  the  still,  which  niight,  if  necessary 
be  turnished  with  buttons  and  loops,  to  prevent  them  from 
starting.  Some  also  use  a  parcel  of  fine  hay  laid  upon 
the  loobe  sticks,  ami  secured  down  by  two  cross  poles,  laid 
froa>  side  to  side,  and  iii  the  same  manner  fastened  down 
with  loops,  uare  is  to  be  taken  in  this  case,  not  to  prv-ss 
the  hay  against  the  sides  of  the  still  ;  for  that  would  scorch 
nearly  as  soon  as  ihe  wash  itself ;  butthe sticks  never  will: 
these  are  simple  but  effectual  contrivances,  and  in  point 
ot  elegance,  they  may  be  improved  at  pleaNure. 

There  is  another  inconvenience  attending  the  distilling 
of  malt  spirit,  which  is,  when  all  the  bottoms,  or  gross 


268         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c. 

mealy  foeculence  is  put  into  the  still  along  with  theliquoi% 
the  thinner  part  of  the  wash  going  off  in  form  of  spirit;  the 
mealy  naass  grows  by  degrees  more  and  more  stiff  so  ast« 
scorch  towards  the  latter  part  of  the  operition.  The  best 
method  of  remedying  this,  is  to  have  a  pine  with  a  stop- 
cock, leading  from  tiie  upper  part  of  the  worm-tub  into  the 
still ;  so  that  upon  a  half,  or  a  quarter  turn,  it  may  con- 
tinuiUv  supply  a  little  stream  of  hot  water,  in  the  same 
prop;)rtion  as  the  spirit  runs  off,  by  which  means  the  dan- 
ger of  scorching  is  avoided  and  the  operation,  at  the 
same  time,  not  in  the  least  retarded. 

In  Holland^  the  malt  distillers  work  all  their  wash  thick, 
•with  the*  whole  body  of  meal  among  it;  yet  they  are  so  care- 
ful in  keeping  their  stills  clean,  and  so  r*^  gular  and  nice 
in  the  managemeot  of  their  fires,  that  though  they  use  no 
artifice  at  all  on  this  head,  onlv  to  charge  the  still  while  it 
is  hot  and  moist,  they  very  rarely  have  the  misfortune  to 
scorch,  except  now  and  then  in  the  depth  of  winter. 
Wi>en  such  an  accident  has  once  happened  in  a  still,  they 
are  extremely  careful  to  scrape,  scrub,  and  scour  off  the 
re.uains  of  the  burnt  matter,  otherwise  they  find  the 
same  accident  very  liable  to  happen  again  in  the  same 
place.  Bat  beyoi)d  all  the  other  methods  in  use  on  this  oc- 
casion, would  be  the  working  the  stills,  not  by  a  dry  heat, 
but  in  a  Balneum  Murix^  which  might  pos'jibly  be  so  con- 
trived by  the  bason  being  large,  and  capable  of  workmg  a 
great  many  stills  at  once,  as  to  be  extremely  worth  the 
proprietor's  while  in  all  respects. 

Another  requisite  to  be  observed  is,  that  the  water  in  the 
worm-tub  be  kept  cool ;  this  may  be  effected,  by  placing  in 
the  middle  of  the  tub  a  wooden  pipe  or  gutter,  about  three 
inches  square  w.thiw,  reaching  from  the  top  almost  to  the 
bottom  ;  by  this  contrivance  cold  water  may,  as  often  as 
necessary,  be  conveyed  to  the  bottom  of  the  worm  tub, 
and  the  hot  water  at  the  top  forced  either  over  the  sides  of 
the  tubjor.which  is  better,  through  a  ledden  pipe  of  mode- 
rate size,  called  a  waste-pipe,  soldered  into  the  top  of  the 
tub,  and  extended  to  the  gutter  formed  to  carry  away  the 
•water. 

Article  IX. 

Of  the  Distillation  of  Molasses- Sfiirits, 

The  spirit  distilled  from  molasses  or  treacle,  is  very 
clean  or  pure.  It  is  made  from  common  treacle  dissolved 
in  water,  and  fermented  in  the  same  manner  as  the  wash 
for  the  common  malt  spirit. 

But  if  some  particular  art  is  not  used  in  distilling  this  spirit, 
it  will  not  prove  so  vinous  as  malt  spirit,  but  more  flat  and 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         26? 

less  pungent  and  acid,  though  otherwise  much  cleaner  tast- 
ed, as  its  essential  oil  is  of  a  less  offensive  flavor.  There- 
fore, if  gond  fresh  wine-lees,  abounding  in  tartar,  be  ad- 
ded and  duly  fermented  with  the  molasses,  the  spirit  will 
acquire  a  much  greater  vinosity  and  briskness,  and  ap- 
proach much  nearer  to  the  nature  of  foreign  spirits. 

Where  the  molasses,  spirit  is  brought  to  the  commoR 
proof  strength,  if  it  be  found  not  to  have  a  sufficient  vino- 
sity, it  will  be  very  proper  to  add  some  good  dulcified  spi- 
rit of  nitre  1  and  if  the  spirit  be  clean  worked,  it  may  by 
tliis  addition  only,  be  made  to  pass  on  ordinary  judges  for 
French  brandy. 

Great  quantities  of  this  spirit  are  used  in  adulterating 
foreign  brandy,  rum  and  arrac.  Much  of  it  is  also  used 
alone  in  making  cherry- brandy,  and  other  drams  by  infu- 
sion ;  in  all  which,  many,  and  perhaps  with  justice,  pre- 
fer it  to  foreign  brandies. 

Molasses,  like  other  spirits,  is  entirely  colourless  when 
iirst  extracted  ;  but  distdlers,  always  give  it,  as  nearly  as 
possible,  the  colour  of  foreign  spirits  ;  the  methods  of  per- 
forming which  we  shall  explain  in  a  subsequent  article. 

Article  X. 

Of  the  J^ature  of  Brandies,  and  Method  of  Distilling  them 
in  France. 

The  general  method  of  distilling  brandies  in  France 
need  not  be  formally  described,  as  it  differs  in  nothing. 
Irom  that  commonly  practised  here  in  working  from  wash 
or  molasses,  nor  are  they  in  the  least  more  cleanly  or  ex- 
act in  the  operation. 

They  only  observe  more  particularly  to  throw  a  little  of 
the  natural  lee  into  the  still  along  with  the  wine,  as  find- 
ing this  gives  their  spirit  the  flavor  for  which  it  is  general- 
ly admired  abroad. 

But  though  brandy  is  extracted  from  wine  experience 
tells  us,  that  there  is  a  great  difference  in  grapes,  from 
"which  the  wine  is  made.  Every  soil,  every  climate,  every 
kind  ot  grapes  varies  with  regard  to  the  quantity  and 
quality  of  spirits  extracted  from  them.  There  are  some 
grapes  which  are  only  fit  for  eating,  others  for  drying,  as 
those  of  Damascus,  Corinth,  Frovmce  and  Avignon  ;  but 
not  fit  to  make  wine. 

Some  wines  are  very  proper  for  distillation  .others  much 
less  so.  The  wines  of  Langucdoc  and  Provence  afford  a 
great  deal  of  brandy  by  distillation,  when  the  operation  is 
made  in  their  tuU  strength  :  the  Orleans  wmes,  and  those 
of  Blois  aff.)rd  yet  more  ;  but  the  best  are  those  of  the 
territories  of  Cogniac  and  of  Andaye^  which  are  however 
A  a 


Sro  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  die. 

in  the  number  of  those  the  least  drank  in  France.  Whereas 
lhos*f  of  Burgundy  and  of  Chamfiaign,  though  of  a  very 
fine  flavor,  are  improper,  because  they  yield  but  very  lit- 
tle in  distillation- 
It  must  also  be  farther  deserved,  that  all  the  wines  for 
distillation,  as  those  of  S/iain.  the  Canaries,  of  ALicant,  of 
Cyjirus,  of  6Y.  Peres,  of  Toquet,  of  Grave,  of  Hungary^ 
and  others  of  the  &anne  kind,  yield  very  little  brandy  by 
distillation;  and  consequently  would  cost  the  distiller  con- 
siderable more  than  he  could  sell  it  for-  What  is  drawn 
frorri  them  is  indeed  verv  good,  always  retaining  the  sac- 
charine quality  and  rich  flavor  of  the  wine  from  whence  it 
is  drawn  ;  but  as  it  i^rows  old.  this  flavor  often  grows  aro- 
matic, and  is  not  agreeable  to  all  palates. 

Hence  we  see,  that  brandies  always  differ,  according 
as  they  are  extracted  from  different  species  of  grapes. 
Nor  would  there  be  so  great  a  similarity  as  there  is  be- 
tween the  different  kinds  of  French  brandies,  were  the 
strongest  wines  used  for  this  purpose  :  But  this  is  rarely 
the  case,  the  weakest  and  lowest  flavored  wines  onl)  are 
distilled  for  their  spirit,  or  such  as  prove  absolutely  unfit 
for  any  other  use. 

A  large  quantity  of  brandies  is  distilled  in  France,  dur- 
ing the  time  of  the  vintage  ;  for  all  those  poor  grapes  that 
prove  unfit  for  wine,  are  usually  first  gathered,  pressed, 
their  juice  fermented,  and  directly  distilled  This  rids 
their  hands  of  their  poor  wines  at  once,  and  leaves  their 
casks  empty  for  ther<  ception  of  better.  It  is  a  general  rule 
with  them  not  to  distil  any  wine  that  will  fetch  any  price 
as  wine  ;  for,  in  this  state,  the  profits  upon  them  are  vast- 
ly greater  than  when  reduced  to  brandies.  This  large 
stock  of  small  w;jics,  with  which  they  are  almost  overrun 
in  France,  sufficiently  accounts  fortkeir  making  such  vast 
quantities  ot  brandy  in  France,  more  than  other  countries, 
which  lie  in  warmer  climates,  and  are  much  better  adap- 
ted to  the  production  of  grapes. 

Nor  is  this  the  only  fund  of  th'^ir  brandies  ;  for  all  the 
wiae  that  turns  eager  is  also  condetr'ned  to  the  still ;  and, 
in  short,  all  that  they  can  neither  export  nor  con- 
sume at  home,  which  amounts  to  a  Urge  quantity  ;  since 
much  of  the  wine  lard  in  for  their  family  provision  is  so 
poor  as  not  to  ke'.-p  during  the  tiirie  in  spending. 

HcTiCe  many  of  our  American  spirits,  with  proper 
management  are  convertable  int  i  brandies,  that  shall 
hardly  be  distinguished  from  the  foreign  in  many  respects, 
jjfovided  ihis  nper^tion  be  neatly  pertornied.  And,  in  par- 
ticular, how  far  a  cyder  spirit  and  a  crab  spirit  may,  even 
from  the  fiist  extraction,  be  ir.ade  to  resemble  the  fine  and 
thin  brandies  of Fa7ice.  we  would  recommend  to  those 
distillers  whose  skill  and  curiosity  proniptsthem  to  under- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec.  271 

takings  condemned  by  those  who  only  work  mechanically, 
and  scorn  to  deviate  from  the  beaten  track,  though  they 
have  the  fairest  prospectof  acquiring  profit  to  themselves 
and  a  lasting  emolument  to  their  conntry. 

Article  XI. 

Of  the  Distillation  of  Rum. 

Rum  differs  from  what  we  simply  call' sugar  spirit,  as  it 
contains  more  of  the  natural  flavor,  or  essential  oil,  of  the 
sugar  cane  ;  a  great  deal  of  raw  juice,  and  even  parts  of 
the  cane  itself  b^ing  often  fermented  in  the  liquor,  or  solu- 
tion, of  which  the  rum  is  prep?.Ted. 

Hence  Ave  see  from  whence  rum  derives  its  flavor  ; 
namely,  frnm  the  cane  itself.  Some  indeed,  are  of  opinion, 
that  the  unctuous  or  oily  flavor  of  the  rum  proceeds  from 
the  large  quantity  of  fat  used  in  boiling  the  sugar.  This 
fat,  indeed,  if  coarfe.  will  give  a  stinking  flavor  to  the 
spirit  in  our  distillations  of  the  sugar  liquor,  or  wash,  from 
our  refining  sugar-houses  ;  but  this  is  nothing  like  the  flav- 
or of  the  rum  ;  which,  as  we  have  already  observed,  is  the 
effect  of  the  natural  flavor  of  the  cane. 

Great  quantities  of  rum  are  nnade  at  Jamaica,  Barha- 
does,  Aniigua  and  other  sugar  islands.  The  method  of 
making  it  is  this  : 

When  a  sufficient  stock  of  the  materials  is  got  together, 
they  add  water  to  them,  and  ferment  them  in  the  common 
method  though  the  fermentation  is  always  carried  on  very 
slowly  at  first ;  because  at  the  be  ginning  of  the  season  for 
making  rum  in  the  islands,  they  want  yeast,  or  some  oth- 
er ferment  to  make  it  work  ;  but  after  this,  they,  by  de- 
grees, procure  a  sufficient  quantity  of  the  ferment,  which 
rises  up  as  a  head  to  the  liquor  in  the  operation  ;  and 
thus  they  are  able  afterwards  to  ferment  antl  make  their 
rum  with  a  gi  eat  deal  of  expedition,  and  in  very  large 
quantities. 

When  the  wash  is  fully  fermented,  or  to  a  due  degree 
of  aciditv,  the  distillation  is  carried  on  in  the  common 
way,  and  the  spirit  is  made  up  proof  ;  though  sometimes 
it  is  reduced  to  a  much  greater  degree  of  strength,  nearly 
approaching  to  that  alcohol,  or  spirit  of  wine  ;  and  it  is 
then  called  donble-distilled  rum. 

It  would  be  easy  to  rectify  the  spirit,  and  bring  it  to  a 
much  greater  degree  of  purity  than  we  usually  find  it  to  be 
of  ;  for  it  brings  over  in  the  distillation  a  large  quantity  of 
the  oil  ;  and  this  is  often  so  disagreeable,  that  the  rum 
must  be  suffered  to  lie  by  a  long  time  to  mellow  before  it 
can  be  used  ;  whereas,  if  well  rectified,  its  flavor  would 
be  much  less,  and  consequently  much  more  agreeable  t© 
the  palate. 


272         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TR^\DES,  6£c. 

The  best  state  to  kee])  rum  both  for  exportation  and 
other  uses,  is  doubtless  that  of  alcohol,  or  rectified  spirits. 
In  this  manner,  it  would  be  contained  in  half  the  bulk  it 
usually  is,  and  might  be  let  down  to  the  common  proof 
strength  with  water  when  necessary;  for  the  common  use 
of  making  punch,  it  would  likewise  serve  much  better  in 
the  state  of  alcohol  ;  as  the  taste  would  be  cleaner,  and 
the  stren.^'th  might  always  be  regulated  to  a  much  greater 
degree  of  exactness  than  in  the  ordinary  way. 

If  the  business  of  rectifying  rum  was  more  nicely  man- 
aged, it  seems  a  very  practicable  scheme  to  throw  out  so 
much  of  the  oil  as  to  reduce  it  to  the  fine  light  state  of  a 
clear  spirit,  but  lightly  impregnated  with  the  oil  ;  in  this 
state  it  would  nearly  resemble  arrac,  as  is  easily  proved 
by  mixing  a  very  small  quantity  of  it  with  a  tasteless  spirit; 
for  it  then-bears  a  very  near  resemblance  to  arrac  in  flavor. 

Article  XII. 

0/  Sugar-  Sfiirit. 

We  mean  by  a  sugar-spirit,  that  extracted  from  the 
v;ashlngs,  scu'mmings,  dross,  and  waste  of  a  sugar-bakers 
refining-house. 

These  recrementitious,  or  drossy  parts  of  the  sugar,are 
to  be  diluted  with  water,  fermented  in  the  same  manner 
as  m.olasses  or  wash,  and  then  distilled  in  the  common 
method.  And  if  the  operation  be  carefully  performed, 
and  the  spirit  well  rectified,  it  may  be  mixed  with  foreign 
brandies,  and  even  arrac  in  a  large  proportion,  to  great 
advantage;  for  this  spirit  will  be  found  superior  to  that 
extracted  from  treacle,  and  consequently  more  proper  for 
these  uses. 

Article  XII-I. 

Of  Raisin-  S/drits. 

By  raisin-spirits,  we  understand  that  extracted  from 
raisins,  after  a  proper  fermentation. 

In  order  to  extract  this  spirit, the  raisins  must  be  infused 
in  a  proper  quantity  of  water  and  ferm.ented  in  the  man- 
ner described  in  the  article  on  fermentation.  When  the 
fermentation  is  completed,  the  whole  is  to  be  thrown  into 
the  still,  and  the  spirit  extracted  by  a  strong  iire. 

The  reason  why  we  here  direct  a  strong  fire, is,  because 
by  that  means  a  greater  quantity  of  the  essential  oil  will 
come  over  the  helm  with  the  spirit,  which  will  render  it 
much  fitter  for  the  distillers's  purpose  ;  for  this  spirit  is 
generally  used  to  mix  with  common  malt  goods  :  and  it  is 
surprising  how  far  it  will  go  in  this  respect,  ten  gallons  of 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.        273 

itbein^  often  sufficient  to  give  a  determining  flavor,  and 
agreeable  vinossity  to  a  whole  piece  of  malt  spirits. 

It  is  therefore  well  worth  the  distiller's  while  to  endea- 
vour at  improving  the  common  method  of  extracting 
spirts  from  raisins  ;  and  perhaps  the  following  hint  may 
merit  attention  : 

When  the  fermentation  is  completed,  and  the  still 
charged  with  fermented  liquor,  as  before  directed,  let  the 
whole  be  drawn  off  with  as  brisk  a  fire  as  possible;  but 
instead  of  the  cask  or  can,  generally  used  by  our  Ameri- 
can distillers  for  a  receiver,  let  a  large  glass,  called  by 
chemists,  a  separating- glass,  be  placed  under  the  nose  of 
the  worm,  and  a  common  receiver  applied  to  the  spout  of 
the  separating  glass ;  by  this  means  the  essential  oil  will 
swim  upon  the  top  of  the  spirit,  or  rather  low  wine,  in  the 
separating  glass,  and  may  be  easily  preserved  at  the  end 
of  the  operation. 

The  use  of  this  limpid  essential  oil  is  well  known  to  dis- 
tillers ;  for  in  this  resides  the  whole  flavor,  and  conse- 
quently may  be  used  to  the  greatest  advantage  in  giving 
that  distinguishing  taste,  and  true  vinosity,  to  the  common 
malt  spirits 

After  the  oil  is  separated  from  the  low  wine,  the  liquor 
mav  be  n  ctir.ed  in  jialrii^um  Maria,  into  a  pure  and  almost 
tasteless  spirit ;  and  theretore  well  adapted  to  make  the 
finest  CiVP pound  cordials,  or  to  imitate,  or  mix  with  the 
finest  French  braiidie^i.  arracs,  &c. 

In  the  same  manner  a  sptrit  may  be  obtained  from  cy- 
der. But  as  its  particular  flavor  is  not  so  desirable  as  that 
obtained  from  raisins,  it  should  be  distilled  in  a  more  gen- 
tle manner,  and  carefully  rectified  in  the  manner  wc  shall 
shew  in  the  article  on  rectification  ;  by  which  means  a 
very  puri.  and  almost  ins  pid  spirit  will  be  obtained,  which 
may  be  used  t(.  very  great  advantage  in  imitating  the  best 
brandies  of  France^  or  in  making  the  finest  compound 
waters  or  cordials. 

Article  XIV. 

Of  Arracs. 

^/ 

What  is  properly  meant  by  the  term  arracs,  are  spirits- 
extracted  from  the  fern-ented  juice  ot  certain  trees  com- 
mon in  the  East-  Indies,  particularly  those  of  the  cocoa, 
palm-vree  '1  he  whole  proces's  of  making  arrac,  is  per- 
formed in  die  following  maimer  : 

In  order  to  procure  the  ve^^etable  juice  for  this  opera- 
tion, the  person  provides  himself  with  a  s\;fiicient  num- 
ber of  small  earthen  pots,  with  bellies  and  necics,  resem- 
bling our  common  glass  bottles ;  a  number  of  these  he 
Aa  2 


274         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c; 

fastens  to  his  girdle,  or  to  a  belt  across  his  shoulders,  and 
climbs  lip  the  tall  trunk  of  the  cocoa-tree  ;  having  reached 
the  boughs  of  the  tree,he  cuts  off  with  a  knife  certain  small, 
buds,  or  buttons,  applying  immediately  to  the  wound  one 
of  his  buttles,  and  fastens  it  with  a  string  to  the  bough.  In 
this  manner  he  proceeds,  till  he  has  fixed  his  whole  num- 
ber of  bottles,  which  serve  as  receivers  to  the  juice  distil- 
ling from  the  wounds.  This  operation  is  generally  per- 
formed in  the  evening,  a  greater  quantity  of  juice  flowing 
from  the  tree  in  the  night  than  in  the  day.  The  bottles  are 
next  morning  taken  off,  and  the  liquor  emptied  into  a  pro- 
per vessel,  where  it  spontaneously  ferments.  As  soon  as 
the  fermentation  is  completed,  the  liquor  is  thrown  into 
the  still,  and  drawn  down  to  a  low  wine  ;  but  so  very  poor 
and  dilute,  that  they  are  obliged  to  rectify  it  in  another 
still,  to  that  weak  kind  of  proof  spirit,  we  generally  see  it ; 
for  though  it  appears  bubble-proof,  it  rarely  contains  more 
than  a  sixth,  and  soaietimes  only  an  eighth  of  alcohol.  All 
the  rest  being  no  more  than  an  acidulated  water,  which 
might  be  supplied  from  any  common  spring  Why  arrac 
appears  bubble-proof,  when  in  reality  so  far  below  what 
■we  mean  by  proof,  is  not  so  great  a  mystery  as  at  first 
sight  it  appears  to  be  ;  for  this  kind  of  proof  is  entirely 
owing  to  a  certain  tenacity  of  the  parts  of  the  liquor*  or  to 
the  particular  property  of  the  oil  incoi'pnrated  in  the 
spirit ;  as  we  shall  abundantly  shew  in  a  subsequent  article. 

From  this  account  of  arrac,  it  should  seem  no  very- 
difficult  matter  to  imitate  it  here.  And,  perhajs,  the 
■whole  difficulty  lies  in  procuring  a  pure  and  insipid  spirit; 
for  it  IS  ridiculous  to  attempt  it  with  our  common  malt 
spirit.  With  regard  to  the  flavor  oi  the  arrac.  it  may 
i>e  effectually  imitated  by  some  essential  oils  easily  pro- 
curable. 

Hence  we  see  of  what  prodigious  advantage  a  pure  and 
insipid  spirit  would  be  of  to  distillers,  and  consequently  the 
great  encouragement  there  is  to  attempt  the  discovery. 
Perhaps  a  spirit  of  this  kind  may  be  extracted  from  sugar 
properly  refined.  The  hint  ia  worth  prosecuting,  and  the 
writer  of  this  essay,  from  repeated  experiments,  is  abun- 
dantly convi  »^-2d  that  the  thing  is  practicable  Had  he 
entirely  succeeded,  he  would  readily  have  communicated 
the  whole  for  the  benefit  of  his  country ;  but  is  now  obliged 
to  defer,  to  some  future  oi)portunity,  the  result  of  his  en- 
quiries. In  the  mean  time,  he  would  recommend  the  pro- 
secution of  this  hint  to  those  distiilers  who  endcayo€r  to 
improve  their  art,  and  to  advance  it  nearer  to  perfection. 

Since  arrac  is  a  spirit  extracted  from  the  juice  of  the 
cocoa-tree,  it  may  perhaps  be  worth  enquiring  how  nearly 
2t  may  be  imitated 'by  fermenting  an4  distilling  the  juig|.s 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c,         275- 

of  the  birch  and  sycamore-trees.  We  should  by  this  means 
obtain  an  American  arrac ;  and,  perhaps,  a  spirit  equal 
in  flavor  to  that  imports  d  troiri  Batavia.  • 

When  the  cask, in  which  the  arrac  is  imported. happens 
to  be  decayed, or  the  liquor  touches  any  nails.or  other  iron, 
it  dissolves  part  of  it,  and  at  the  same  time  extracts  the 
resinous  parts  of  the  oak,  by  which  means  the  whole  liquor 
in  the  cask  acquires  an  inky  colour  In  order  to  whiten  and 
clarity  arrac,  whch  has  contracted  this  colour,  a  large 
quantity  of  new  or  skimmed  milk  must  be  put  into  the  cask, 
and  the  whole  beat  together,  as  vinters  do  to  whiten  their 
brown  wines  4  by  this  meani>  the  inky  colour  will  be  ab- 
sorbed by  the  milk,  and  tall  with  it  to  the  bottom,  so  that 
the  greatest  part  of  the  anac  may  be  drawn  off  fine,  and 
the  remainder  procured  in  the  same  condition  by  being 
filtrated  through  a  conical  flannel  bag. 

Article  XV. 

Of  Rectification, 

There  are  several  methods  of  performing  this  opera- 
tion ;  though  some,  and  indeed  those  in  general  practised 
by  our  distiIlers,hL.rdly  deserve  the  name;  because, instead 
of  rectifying,  that  is,  freeing  the  spirit  ♦rom  its  essential  oil 
and  phlegm,  they  alter  the  natural  flavor  of  the  spirit  that 
comes  over  in  the  operation. 

The  principle  business  of  rectification  is  to  separate  the 
spirit  irom  the  essential  oil  of  the  ini^redient,  which  is 
very  apt  to  adhere  strongly  to  the  spirit.  And  in  order  to 
this,  care  should  be  taken  in  the  first  distillation  ;  that  is 
the  apirit,  especially  that  from  malt,  should  be  drawn  by 
a  gentle  fire,  by  which  means  great  part  of  the  essential 
oil  will  be  kept  from  mixing  with  the  spirit ;  for  experience 
has  abundantly  proved,  that  it  is  much  easier  to  keep 
asunder,  than  to  separate  them  when  once  mixed. 

But  as  it  is  almost  impossible  to  draw  low  wines  without 
the  spirit  being  in  some  measure  impregnated  with  the 
essential  oil,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  be  acquainted 
with  some  methods  of  separating  the  spirit  from  the  oil, 
and  also  of  freeing  it  from  its  phlegm  1  he  best  methods 
0^  doing  this  to  perfection,  are  re-distillation  and  per- 
colation. 

In  order  to  rectify  low  wines,  they  should  be  put  into  a 
tall  body,  or  alembic,  and  gently  distilled  in  Balneum 
Maria  ;  by  this  means  a  large  proportion,  both  of  the  oil 
and  phlegm  will  remain  in  the  body.  But  it  the  spirit 
should  be  found,  after  this  operation,  to  contain  some  of 
the  essential  oil,  it  must  be  let  down  with  fair  water,  and 
re-distilled,  in  the  same  gentle  mangier*  And  thus  it  may 


2^6         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

be  brought  to  any  degree  of  purity  ;  especially  if  in  the 
working,  the  spirit  be  suffered  to  fall  into  a  proper  quan- 
tity of  Balneum  Marix.  But  it  must  be  remembered,  that 
it  is  much  more  difficult  to  cleanse  alcohol,  or  proof-spirit 
than  low  wines,  because  the  oil  is  more  intimately  mixed 
with  the  two  former  than  with  the  latter.  Thjs  oil  may 
however  be  separated  from  proof-spirit,&c  by  the  method 
already  proposed,  especially  it  it  be  previously  filtrated 
through  paper,  thick  flannel,  sand,  stone,  &c. 

But  this  method,  though  it  effectually  answers  the  in- 
tention, is  generally  rejected  by  our  distillers,  because  of 
the  slowness  of  the  operation  ;  and  others  substituted  in  its 
stead, though  instead  of  freeing  the  spirit  fro  u  the  oil,they 
only  abohsh  the  natural  flavor  of  the  spirit,  and  make  a 
more  intimate  mixture  between  the  particles  of  the 
spirit,  and  those  of  the  essential  oil. 

It  is  impossible  to  enumerate  all  the  methods  practised 
by  distillers, as  almost  every  one  pretends  to  have  a  secret 
nostrum  for  this  purpose.  The  principal  methods  in  use 
for  rectifying  mialt  spirits,  are  however  reducible  to  three, 
namely,  by  fixed  alkaline  salts,  by  acid  spirits  mixed  with, 
alkaline  salts,  and  by  saline  bodies,  and  flavoring  addi- 
tions. 

The  method  of  rectifying  by  alkaline  salts  is  thus  per- 
formed,: To  every  piece  of  proof-spirit,  add  fourteen 
pounds  of  dry  salt  of  tartar,  fixed  nitre,  or  calcined  tartar; 
lute  on  the  head,  and  distil  by  a  gentle  heat,  but  be  very 
careful  to  leave  out  the  faints.  By  this  method  a  large 
proportion  of  the  foetid  oil  will  be  left  in  the  still ;  and  what 
comes  over  with  the  spirit  will  be  greatly  attenuated— 
But  this  operation  is  generally  performed  in  a  very  differ- 
ent manner  ;  for  instead  of  distilling  the  spirit  in  a  gentle 
and  rqaable  manner,  the  still  is  worked  in  its  full  force  ; 
by  which  means  the  oil,  which  should  have  remained  m 
the  still,  is  driven  over,  and  intimately  mixed  with  the 
sj)irit ;  and  const^quently,  the  whole  operation  frustrated, 
and  the  spirit  rendered  much  harder  to  cleanse  than  it  was 
before. 

But  even  when  the  operation  is  performed  according  to 
the  rules  of  art,  it  is  far  from  being  perfect  ;  for  it  is  well 
known,  that  part  of  the  fixed  salts  become  volatile  in  the 
operation,  pass  over  the  helm,  and  intimately  mixes  with 
the  essential  oil  still  contained  in  the  spirits  ;  by  this  means 
the  oil  becomes  more  perfectly  united  with  the  spirits,  and 
cons<-quently  much  harder  to  be  separated  by  repeated 
distillations.  Nor  is  this  all  for  the  still  being  worked  in 
its  full  force,  the  bitter  oil  of  the  -malt,  formed  into  a  kind 
of  liquid  soap  in  the  still,  by  means  of  the  alkaline  sa't,  is 
brought  over  the  helm  with  the  faints,  and  suffered  to  mix. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         27? 

with  Ihe  spirit,  whereby  it  is  rendered  almost  as  nauseous 
and  ill-tasted  as  before  the  operation.  Besides,  if  this  ope- 
ration were  performed  in  its  utmost  perfeci'.'^n,  it  wohld 
never  answer  the  intention  ;  for  the  alkaline  salt  destroys 
the  vinosiiy  of  the  spirit,  and  consequently  deprives  it  of 
one  of  its  most  valuable  properties.  Our  distillers  are  well 
acquainted  with  this  detect  in  the  operation,  and  endea- 
vour to  supply  it  by  an  addition  of  acids.  This  is  what  we 
call  the  second  method  by  alkalies  and  acids. 

The  operation  of  rectifying  by  the  method  of  fixed  al- 
kalies and  acids,  is  the  same  as  that  above  described  ;  the 
spirit  is  drawn  over  from  fixed  alkalies  as  before  ;  but  in 
order  to  mortify  the  alkali  in  the  spirit,  and  lestore  its 
vinosity,  a  proper  quantity  of  some  acid  spirit  is  added  — 
Various  kinds  of  acids  are  used  on  this  occasion  ;  but  prin- 
cipally those  of  the  mineral  kind,  because  of  their  cheap- 
ness ;  as  oil  of  vitriol,  spirit  of  nitre,  oil  of  sulphur,  and 
the  like.  We  would,  however,  caution  a  young  distiller 
from  being  too  busy  with  these  corrosive  acids  ;  the  sul- 
phureous spirit  of  vitriol,  dulcified  spirit  of  nitre,  or  Mr. 
Boyle's  acid  spirit  of  wine  well  rectified,  will  much  better 
answer  his  purpose. 

The  third  method  of  rectification  is  that  by  saline  bodies 
and  flavoring  ingredients.  1  here  is  no  difference  in  the 
operation  between  this  and  the  two  foregoing  methods  ', 
fixed  alkaline  salts,  common  salt  depreciated  or  dried, 
calcined  vitriol,  sandiver,  alum,  &c.  is  put  into  the  still 
with  the  low  wines  and  the  spirit  draun  over  as  before  -— 
When  the  quantity  is  drawn  off,  the  fl;<voring  ingredients 
are  added  to  give  the  spirit  the  flavor  irtenu.  Eut  as  the 
spirit  is  not  by  this  means  rend*  r.'  d  sufficiently  pure,  the 
disagreeable  flavor  of  the  spirit  gf  neraily  overpowers  that 
of  the  ingredients,  whereb^  the  whole  intention  is  either 
destroyed,  or  a  compound  flavour  produced,  very  different 
from  that  intended. 

Some  disiillers,  instead  of  alkaline  salts,  use  quick  lime 
in  rectifying  their  malt  spirit  ;  this  en^redient  cleanses 
and  dephlegmates  vhe  spirit  considerably  ;  but  like  that 
rectified  from  alkaline  salts,  it  requires  an  alkaline  dispo- 
sition, and  also  a  nidorous  flavor.  Acids,  therefore,  are  as 
necessary  to  be  mixed  with  those  spirits  rectified  with 
quick  lime,  as  with  those  rectified  with  an  alkaline  salt. 
If  chalk,  calcined  and  well  purified  animal  bones,  &c. 
were  used  instead  of  quick  lime,  the  spirit  would  have  a 
much  less  alkaline  or  nidorous  flavor  ;  and,  consequenly, 
the  flavoring  ingredients  might  be  added  to  it  with  more 
success  than  can  be  expected  from  a  spirit  rectified  from 
alkaline  salts. 

But,  perhaps,  if  neutral  salts  were  used  instead  of  the 
alkaline  ones,  the  spirit  might  be  rendered  pure,  withait 


27S         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRAgES,  &c. 

contracting  an  alkaline  flavor  ;  soluble  tartar  mightfbe  used 
for  this  purpose,  though  the  spirit  acquires  from  hence  a 
little  saponjcenus  flavor.  Dr.  Cox  has  mentioned  another 
method  for  this  purpose,  namely,  to  deprive  the  volatile 
salts  of  their  oil,  by  rendering  them  neutral  with  spirit  of 
salt,  and  afterwards  subliming  them  with  salt  of  tartar  ? 
the  acid  may  be  varied,  if  the  spirit  of  salt  should  not  be 
found  so  well  adapted  to  the  purpose  as  could  be  wished  : 
but  fine  dry  sugar  seems  the  best  adapted  to  the  purpose 
of  rectifying  these  spirits ;  as  it  readily  unites  with  the  es- 
sential oil,  detains  and  fixes  it,  without  imparting  any  uri- 
nous, alkaline,  or  other  nauseous  flavor  to  the  spirits  rec- 
tified upon  it. 

Thus  have  I  considered  the  principal  methods  used  by 
our  distillers  in  rectifying  their  spirits  ;  and  shall  conclude 
this  article  with  remarking,  that  there  is  no  other  way  of 
rectifying  to  perfection,  besides  what  we  first  laid  down, 
namely,  by  gentle  distillation.  But  then  it  must  be  re- 
membered, that  the  whole  process  must  be  of  a  piece  ;  we 
mean,  that  the  first  distillation  from  the  wash  must  be  per- 
formed in  a  gentle  manner  ;  for  otherwise  the  esscntil  oil 
will  be  so  intimately  blended  with  the  spirit,  as  not  to  be 
easily  separated  by  re-distillation-  Another  good  proper- 
ty attending  this  method  is  its  universality  ;  all  kinds  of  spi- 
rits, from  whatever  ingredients  extracted,  require  recti- 
fication ;  and  this  is  adapted  to  all  kinds. 

Article  XVI. 

OJ  (he  I'lavoring  of  Spirits. 

We  have  observed  in  the  preceding  article,  that  the 
common  method  of  rectifying  spirits  from  alkaline  salts, 
destroys  their  vinosity,  and  in  its  stead  introduces  an  urin- 
ous or  lixivious  taste.  But  as  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to 
restore,  or  at  least  to  substitute  in  its  room,  some  degree 
of  vinosity,  several  methods  have  been  pr.  posed,  and  a 
multitude  of  experiments p^^rforned,  in  order  to  discover 
this  great  desideratum:  but  none  has  surct  ed-^d  equal  to 
the  spirit  of  nitre  ;  and  accordingly  this  spirit,  either 
strong  or  dulcified,  has  been  used  by  most  distillers,  to 
give  an  agreeable  vinosity  to  their  spirits. 

Several  difficulties,  however,  occur  in  the  method  of 
using  it,  the  principal  of  which  is.  its  being  apt  to  quit  the 
liquor  in  a  short  time, and  consequently  depriving  the  Siquor 
of  that  vinosity  it  was  intended  to  give,  In  order  to  re- 
move tjiis  difficulty,  and  prevent  the  vinosity  from  quit- 
ting the  goods,  the  dulcified  spirit  of  nitre,  which  is  much 
better  than  the  strong  spirit,  should  be  prepared  by  a 
previous  digestion  continued  for  some  time  with  alcohol  ; 
the  longer  the  digestion  is  continued  the  more  intimately 


SECRETS  IK  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         279   • 

will  they  be  blended,  and  the  connpound  rendered  the 
milder  and  softer. 

After  a  proper  digestion,  the  dulcified  spirit  should  be 
mixed  with  the  brandy,  by  which  means  the  vinosity  will 
be  intimatelv  blended  with  the  goocls,  and  disposed  not  to 
fly  off  for  a  very  considerable  time. 

No  general  rule  can  be  given  for  the  quantity  of  this 
mineral  acid  requisite  to  be  employed,  because  different 
proportions  of  it  are  necessary  in  different  spirits.  It 
should,  however,  be  carefully  adverted  to  that  though  a 
small  quantity  of  it  will  undoubtedly  give  an  a  greeable 
vinosity  resembling  that  natnrallv  found  in  the  fine  subtile 
spirits  drawn  from  wines  yet  an  over  large  doseof  it  will 
not  only  cause  a  disagreeable  flavor,  but  also  rei;der  the 
whole  design  abortive,  by  discovering  the  imposition. 
Those  therefore,  who  endeavour  to  cover  a  foul  taste  in 
goods  by  large  doses  of  dulcified  spirit  of  nitre,  will  find 
themselves  deceived. 

But  the  best,  and  indeed  the  only  method  of  imitating 
JFrench  brandies  lo  perfection,is  by  an  essential  oil  of  wine ; 
this  being  the  very  thing  that  gives  the  French  brandies 
their  flavour.  It  must,  however,  be  remembered,  that  in 
order  to  use  even  this  ingredient  to  advantage,  a  pure, 
tasteless  spirit  must  be  first  procured ;  for  it  is  ridiculous 
to  expect  that  this  essential  oil  should  be  able  to  give  the 
agreeable  flavor  of  French  brandies,  to  our  fulsome  malt 
spirit,  already  loaded  with  its  own  nauseous  oil,  or  strongly 
impregnated  with  a  hxivious  taste  from  the  alkaline  salts 
used  in  rectification.  How  a  pure  msipid  spirit  may  be 
obtained  has  been  already  considered  in  some  of  the  pre- 
ceding articles  i  it  only  therefore  remains  to  shew  the 
method  of  procuring  this  essential  oil  of  wine,  which  is  this. 

Take  some  cakes  of  dry  wine-lees,  such  as  are  used  by 
our  hatters,  dissolve  them  in  six  or  eight  times  their 
weight  of  water  distil  the  liquor  with  a  slow  fire,  and  se- 
parate the  oil  by  the  separating  glass  ;  reserving  for  the 
nicest  uses  that  only  which  comes  over  first,  the  succeed- 
ing oil  being  coarser  and  more  resinous. 

Having  procured  this  fine  oil  of  wine,  it  may  be  mixed 
into  a  quintessence  with  pure  alcohol ;  by  which  means  it 
may  be  preserved  a  long  time  fully  possessed  of  all  its  fla- 
vour and  ^lirtues  ;  but  without  such  management,  it  will 
soon  grow  resinous  and  rancid- 

When  a  fine  essential  oil  of  wine  is  thus  procured,  and 
also  a  pure  and  insipid  spirit,  French  brandies  may  be 
imitated  to  perfection  with  regard  to  the  flavor.  It  must, 
however,  be  remembered,  and  carefully  adverted  to,  that 
the  essential  oil  be  drawn  from  the  same  sort  of  lees  as 
the  brandy  to  be  imitated  was  procured  from  ;  we  mean, 


2B0         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

in  order  to  imitate  Cogniac  brandy,  it  will  be  necessary  te 
distil  the  essential  oil  from  Cog7iiac  If  es ;  and  the  same  for 
any  other  kind  of  brandy.  For  as  different  brandies  have 
different  flavors  ;  and  as  these  flavors  are  owing  entirely  to 
the  essential  oil  of  the  grape,  it  would  be  preposterous  to 
endeavour  to  imitate  the  flavor  of  Cogniac  brandy,  with  an 
essential  oil  procured  from  the  less  o\  Bordeaux  wine. 

When  the  fl  ivour  of  the  brandy  is  well  imitated  by  a 
proper  dose  of  the  essential  oil,  and  the  wliole  reduced  in- 
to one  simple  and  homoj^eneous  fluid,  other  difficulties  are 
still  behind  :  the  flavor,  though  the  essential  part,  is  not 
however  the  only  one  ;  the  colour,  the  proof  and  the  soft- 
ness must  be  also  regarded,  before  a  spirit,  that  perfectly 
resembles  brandy,  can  be  procured.  With  regard  to  the 
proof,  it  may  be  easily  hit,  b\  u^iny;  a  spirit  rectified  above 
proof;  which,  after  being  intimately  mixed  witli  the  es- 
sential oil  ot  wme,  may  be  let  down  to  a  proper  stai  dard 
by  fair  water.  And  the  softness  may  in  a  ^^reat  n.easure 
be  obtained  by  distilling  and  rectifying  the  sphit  with  a 
gentle  fire;  and  what  is  wanting  of  this  criterion  in  the 
liquor,  when  first  made,  will  be  supplied  by  time;  for  it 
must  be  remembirred,  that  it  is  time  alone  that  gives  this 
property  to  French  brandies  ;  they  being  at  first  like  our 
spirits,  acrid,  foul  and  fi*  ry.  But  with  regard  to  the  co- 
lour, a  particular  method  is  necessary  to  intimate  it  to  per- 
fection :  and  how  this  may  be  done,  bhall  be  considered  ia 
the  next  article. 

Article  XVII. 

Of  the  Methods  of  Colouring  Sfiirits* 

The  art  of  cnjnuring  spirits  eves  its  rise  to  observations^ 
on  foreign  brandies.  A  piece  of  Frmch  brandy  that  has 
acquir  d  by  age  a  great  degree  of  softness  and  ripeness,  is 
observed  at  the  same  time,  to  have  acquired  a  yellowish 
brown  colour  ;  and  hence  our  distillers  have  endeavoured 
to  imitate  this  colour  in  such  spirits  as  are  intended  to 
pass  for  French  brandy.  And  in  order  to  this  a  great  va- 
riety of  expenaientshas  been  made  on  various  substances> 
in  order  to  discover  a  direct  and  sure  method  of  imitating 
thiscolour  to  perfection.  But,  in  order  to  do  this,  it  is  ne- 
cessary to  know  from  whence  the  French  brandies  them- 
selves acquires  their  colour  ;  for  tiil  we  have  made  this 
discovery,  it  will  be  in  v^in  to  attempt  an  imitation  ;  be- 
cause if  we  should  be  able  to  imitate  exactly  the  colour, 
which  is  indeed  no  difficult  task,  the  spirit  will  not  stand 
the  test  of  d^fterent  experiments,  unless  the  colour  in  both 
hz  produced  from  the-  same  ingredit  nt. 

This  being  undeniably  the  case,  let  us  try  if  we  c£:nnot 


SECRETS  m  ARTS.  TRADES,  Sec         2le 

discover  this  mighty  secret ;  the  ingredient  from  whence 
the  French  brandy  acquires  its  colour. 

We  have  already  obsierved,  that  this  colour  is  only  found 
in  such  brandies  as  have  acquired  a  mellow  ripeness 
by  age ;  it  is  therefore  not  given  it  by  the  distiller,  but 
has  gained  it  by  laying  long  in  the  cask.  Consequently? 
the  ingredient  from  whence  this  colour  is  extracted,  is  no 
other  than  the  wood  of  the  cask,  and  the  brandy  in  reahty 
is  become  a  dilute  tincture  of  oak. 

The  common  experiment  used  to  prove  the  genuineness 
of  French  brandy  proves,  that  this  opinion  is  well  founded. 
The  experiment  is  this :  they  pour  into  a  glass  of  brandy  a 
few  drops  of  a  solution  of  calcined  vitriol  of  iron  in  a  dilut- 
ed spirit  of  sulphur,  or  any  other  mineral  acid,  and  the 
Tvhole  turns  of  a  blue  colour ;  in  the  same  manner  as  we 
make  ink  of  a  tincture  of  galls  and  vitriol. 

Since,  therefore,  the  colour  of  Frtnch  brandies  is  ac- 
quired from  the  oak  of  the  cask,  it  is  no  difficulty  to  imi- 
tate it  to  perfection.  A  small  quantity  of  the  extract  of 
oS.k>  or  the  shaving  of  that  wood  properly  digested,  will 
furnish  us  with  a  tincture  capable  of  giving  the  spirit  any 
degree  of  colour  required.  But  it  must  be  remem- 
bered, that  as  the  tincture  is  extracted  from  the  cask  by 
brandy,  that  is  alcohol  and  water,  it  is  necessary  to  use 
both  in  extracting  the  tinctur ;  for  each  of  these  men- 
struums  dissolves  different  parts  of  the  wood.  Let,  there- 
fore, a  sufficient  quantity  of  oak  shavings  be  digested  in 
strong  spirit  of  wine  ;  and  also  at  the  same  time  other  oak 
shavings  be  digested  in  water  :  and  wh^n  the  liquors  have 
acquired  a  strong  tincture  from  the  oak,  let  both  be  pour- 
ed off  from  the  shavings  into  different  vessels,  and  both 
placed  over  a  gentle  fire  till  reduced  to  the  consistence  of 
treacle.  In  this  condition,  let  the  two  extracts  be  inti- 
mately mixed  together;  which  maybe  done  effectually  by 
addiag  a  small  quantity  of  loaf  sugar,  in  fine  powder,  and 
well  rubbing  the  whole  together.  By  this  means  a  liquid 
essential  extract  of  oak  will  be  procured,  and  always 
ready  to  be  used  as  occasion  shall  require. 

There  are  other  methods  in  use  for  colouring  brandies  ; 
but  the  best,  besides  the  extract  of  oak  above-mentioned, 
are  common  treacle  and  burnt  sugar. 

The  treacle  gives  the  spirits  a  fine  colounnearly  resemb- 
ling that  of  French  brandy  ;  but  as  its  colour  is  but  dilute, 
a  large  quantity  must  be  used  ;  this  is  not  however  at- 
tended with  any  bad  consequences  ;  for  notwithstanding 
the  spirit  is  really  weakened  by  this  addition,  yet  the  bub- 
ble proof,  the  general  criterion  of  spirits,  is  greatly  mend- 
ed by  the  tenacity  imparted  to  the  liquor  by  the  treacle. 
The  spirit  also  acquires  from  this  mixture  a  sweetish  or 
Bb 


282         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

luscious  taste,  and  a  fullness  in  the  mouth ;  both  which 
pro|,erties  render  it  very  agreeable  to  the  palates  of  the 
common  people,  who  are,  in  fact,  the  principal  consum- 
ers of  these  spirits 

A  oiuch  smnller  quantity  of  burnt  sugar  than  of  treacle 
■will  be  sufficient  for  cninuring  the  same  quantity  of  spirits  ; 
the  taste  is  also  very  differerU  ;  for  instead  of  the  sweet- 
ness imparted  by  the  treacle,  the  spirit  acquires  from  the 
the  burnt  sugar  an  agreeable  bitterness,  and  by  that  means 
recommends  itself  to  MJcer  palates,  which  are  offended 
with  a  luscious  >pirit.  The  burnt  sugar  is  prepared  by 
dissolving  a  proper  quantity  of  sugar  in  a  little  water, 
and  scorching  it  over  the  fire  till  it  acquires  a  black  colour. 

Either  of  the  above  ingredients,  treacle  or  burnt  sugar, 
will  nearly  imitate  the  genuine  colourof  old -Frew c/i  bran- 
dy ;  but  neither  of  them  will  succeed,  when  put  to  the 
test  of  the  vitriolic  solution. 

Thus  have  I  traced  the  subject  of  distillation  from  its 
origin  shewn  the  methods  commonly  made  use  of  by  dis- 
tillers, and  pointed  out  various  improvements,  that  n.ig^ht 
be  introduced  into  this  art  with  great  advantage;  and 
shall  conclude  this  chapter  with  recommending  the  seve- 
ral hints  to  those  distillers  who  are  desirous  of  improving 
their  art,  and  proceeding  on  a  rational  found  ition,  it  being 
from  such  only  that  improvements  are  to  be  expected  ; 
for  where  the  operations  are  constantly  carried  on  in  the 
same  beaten  track,  it  is  in  vain  to  expect ;  improve- 
ments, unless  chance  should  be  kind  enough  to  throw  that 
in  their  way,  which  a  rational  theory  would  have  easily 
led  them  to  discover. 


CHAP.  II. 
THE  METHOD  OF  DISTILLING  SIMPLE  WATERS. 


Article  I. 

Of  Rose-  Water, 

The  damask  rose  is  the  species  intended  to  be  used  in 
this  operation  ;  it  is  of  a  ver>  fragrant  smell,  and  flowers 
in  June  and  July.  The  water  may  be  made  either  by  the 
hot  still,  the  cold  still,  or  the  Jialneum  Maria  If  the  hot 
still  be  used,  the  leaves  picked  from  the  stalks  must  be 
put  into  the  still  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water  to  pre- 
vent an  empyreuma,  and  the  water  drawn  off  by  a  gentle 
fire.    The  receiver  must  be  luted  with  a  bladder  to  the 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         2£^3 

nose  of  the  worm,  to  prevent  the  finest  and  most  volatile 
parts  from  evaporating,  whicli  they  would  otherwise  do, 
to  the  great  prejudice  of  the  water 

If  the  cold  still  be  used,  the  rose  leaves,  either  with  the 
dew  on  them,  or  sprinkled  with  water,  must  be  laid  on 
the  iron  plate  and  covered  with  ihe  coriical  head.  A  gen- 
tle fire  must  then  be  made  under  the  plate,  and  a  receiver 
luted  with  a  bladder  to  the  nose  of  the  still.  The  water 
wil]  gndually  distil  into  the  receiver,  and  be  strongly  im- 
pregnated with  the  odoriferous  parts  of  the  roses. 

The  same  method  with  regard  to  the  Balneum  JIaride 
must  be  used  in  the  distillation  of  roses  as  in  that  of  orange- 
flowers,  and  therefore  need  not  be  repeated  here.  We 
shall  therefore  only  observe,  that  rose-water,  drawn  eith- 
er by  the  cold  still,  or  the  Balneum  Marie,  is  much  pre- 
ferable to  that  drawn  by  the  hot  still. 

The  essence,  or  essential  oil  of  roses  is  looked  upon  as 
one  of  the  most  valuable  f)erfumes  in  the  world  ;  but  at 
the  same  time  the  most  difficult  to  be  , procured  in  any 
quantity.  A  small  quantity  of^'t  is  made  in  Italy,  but  it  has 
always  been  thought  impossiole  to  procure  it  here  ;  and, 
therefore,  a  method  of  acquiring  this  valuable  commodity 
will  not,  I  presume,  be  disagreeable  to  the  reader. 

Tafee  a  quantity  of  datrasfe  rose  leaves,  put  them  intd  a 
proper  vessel,  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water,  adding 
some  mineral  acid,  as  spirit  of  salt,  vitriol,  &c.  In  this 
menstruum  let  the  roses  be  digested  for  fifteen  days  ;  af- 
ter which  put  the  whole  into  an  alembic,  and  draw  off  the 
water  with  a  pretty  brisk  fire.  But.instead  of  the  common 
receiver,  a  separating-glass  must  be  placed  under  the  nose 
of  the  worm,  and  a  receiver  added  to  the  tube  of  the  sepa- 
rating glass.By  this  means  all  the  oil  or  essence  will  float  on 
the  surface  of  the  water  in  the  separating-glass,  and  may 
easily  be  separated  from  it  when  the  operation  is  finished. 

Article  II. 

Of  Cinnamon-  Water. 

Cinnamon  is  a  thin  fine  bark,  rolled  up  in  a  sort  of  little 
pipes,  from  the  thickness  of  a  goose-quill,  to  that  of  a  man's 
thumb,  and  sometimes  more,  and  about  two  or  three  feet 
long.  Its  colour  brownish,  with  a  mixture  .of  red.  It  is 
of  an  extremely  aromatic  smell,  and  of  an  acrid  and  pun- 
gent, but  very  agreeable  taste.  It  is  the  interior  or  second 
bark  of  a  tree  that  grows  plentifully  in  Ceylon.  The 
people  who  gather  it  take  off' the  two  barks  together,  and 
immediately  separating  the  outer  one,  which  is  rough,  and 
has  very  little  fragrancy,  they  lay  the  other  to  dry  in  the 
shade  in  an  airy  place,  where  it  rolls  itself  up  into  the  form 
wherein  we  see  it 


-284         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  6tc. 

The  greatest  cheats  in  the  sale  of  cinnainon,  are  the  sell- 
ing such  as  has  already  had  its  essential  oil  distilled  from 
it,  and  dried  again,  and  the  imposing  cassia  lignea  in  its 
place,  Thefirst  of  these  is  discovered  by  the  want  of  pun- 
gency in  the  cinnamon  ;  the  second  by  this,  that  the  cassia^ 
•^vlien  held  a  little  time  in  the  mouth,  becomes  mucilagi- 
no'29.,  which  the  true  cinnamon  never  does.  <3innamon  is 
a  noble  drug,  endued  with  many  capital  virtues  ;  it  streng- 
thens the  visctra,  assists  concoction,  dispels  flatulencies, 
and  is  a  pleasant  cardiac. 

Receijie  for  one  gallon  ofsimfile  Cinnamon-  Water. 

Take  a  pound  of  the  best  cinnamon  groi^slv  powdered, 
digest  for  twe»ty-four  hours,  in  two  gallons  ot  water  ;  put 
the  whole  into  an  alembic,  and  draw  over  one  gallon  with 
a  pretty  brisk  fire. 

The  oil  of  cinnamon,  in  which  the  specific  virtue  of  the 
(hug  consists,  is  very  ponderous,  and  thereiore  will  not 
come  over  the  helm  unless  the  ,fire  be  pretty  brisk,  es- 
pecially with  a  simple  water.  Itwill  therefore  be  in  vain 
to  attempt  distilling  simple  cinnamon-water  by  the  Bal~ 
v.eiim  Mari.f, 

Article  III. 

Fennel-water  Is  extracted  from  a  seed  larger  and  more 
beautiful  than  thdt  produced  by  our  common  fennel ;  it  is 
called  Sweet  Fennel  seed,  being  of  a  frairrant  smell,  and 
aromatic  sweet  taste,  and  is  cultivated  in  France  and  haly 
It  is  to  be  chosen,  new,  large,  and  fair  ;  but  when  damp 
or  dusty  to  be  rejected. 

Receifiefor  one  Gallon  of  Fennel-  Water. 

Take  one  p'^und  of  sweet  fennel-seeds,  and  two  gallons 
of  water ;  i>ut  them  into  an  alembic,  and  draw  off  one 
gallon  with  a  gentle  fire.  • 

Article  IV. 

Of  Pefifiermint-  Water, 

Pepper-mint  is  a  very  celebrated  stomachic,  and  on  that 
account  greatly  used  at  present,  and  its  simple  water  of- 
ten called  for. 

Recifiefor  a  gallon  of  P cfifierinint-  Water. 

Take  of  the  leaves  of  dried  peppermint,  one  pound  and 
a  half;  water,  two  gallons  and  a  half;  put  all  mto  an 
alembic,  and  draw  off  one  gallon,  with  a  gentle  fire. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         285 

The  water  obtained  from  peppermint  by  distillation  in 
Balneum  Marue,  is  more  fragrant  and  more  fully  impreg- 
nated with  the  virtues  of  the  plant  than  that  drawn  by  the 
alembic.  The  same  may  be  said  with  regard  to  that  ex- 
tracted by  the  cold  still ;  when  the  cold  still  is  used  the 
plant  must  be  green  and  if  possible  committed  to  the  still 
with  the  morning  dew  upon  it. 

Article  V. 

Of  S/iearmint-  Water. 

Spearmint  is  also  like  peppermint,  a  great  stomachic, 
and  therefore  constantly  used. 

Recifiefor  one  gallon  of  Sjiearmint-  Water. 

Take  of  the  leaves  of  dried  spearmint  one  pound  and  a- 
half ;  water  two  gallons  and  a  half  ;  draw  off  by  a  gentle 
fire  one  gallon. 

This  water,  like  that  drawn  from  pepperment,  will  be 
more  fragrant  if  distilled  in  Balneum  Maria,  or  the  cold 
stili ;  but  if  the  latter  be  used,  the  same  caution  must  be 
©bserved  of  distilling  the  plant  green. 

Article  VI. 

Of  Balm-  Water. 

Balm  is  a  plant  well  known  in  our  gardens.  It  flowers 
m  July,  and  is  of  a  fine  cordial  flavor  ;  but  so  weak,  that  it 
is  soon  dissipated  and  lost ;  nor  is  it  easy  to  dry  it  so  as  to 
preserve  its  natural  scent 

Bdlm-water,  therefore,  should  be  drawn  when  the  plant 
is  green  ;  and  in  order  to  procure  the  water  in  full  per- 
fection, it  should  be  cohobated,  or  returned  several  times 
upon  fresh  parcels  of  the  plant  ;  by  this  means  a  water 
may  be  procured  from  balm  extremely  rich,  and  of  con- 
siderable use  as  a  cordial. 

If  the  Balneum  MarLt  be  use*,  the  water  is  much  better 
than  that  drawn  by  an  alembic.  The  water  drawn  from 
this  plant  by  the  cold  still  will  also  be  very  fragrant>  and 
highly  impregnated  with  the  virtues  of  the  plant. 

Article  VII. 

Of  Pennyroyal-  Water. 

Pennyroyal,  a  plant  very  common  in  America,  is  very 
warm,  and  its  parts  very  subtile  and  penetrating  :  it  is  one 
of  the  first  plants  in  esteem  in  the  present  practice,  as 
well  as  in  former  ages,  as  attenuant  and  uterine.  It  is  good. 
Bb2 


286        SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

in  flatulencies  and  suppressions  of  urine,  and  by  many  is 
grr ally  recon mended  in  dropsies,  jaundices,  and  other 
chronic  distempers.  It  communicates  its  virtues  to  water 
in  infusion,  and  its  simple  water  has,  perhaps,  more  virtue 
than  any  other  kept  in  the  shops.  But  as  it  is  requisite  in 
order  to  obtain  a  water  fully  impregnated  wiih  the  virtues 
of  balm,  to  cohobate  it  on  fresh  parcels  of  the  plant ;  the 
water  drawn  from  green  pennyroyal,  on  the  contrary,  ge- 
nerally contains  so  large  a  portion  of  the  essential  oil,  that 
it  is  necessary  to  separate  what  floats  on  the  surface  of  the 
water,  by  the  seperating- glass. 

Recijiejor  one  gallon  of  Pennyroyal- Water. 

Take  of  the  dried  leaves  of  pennyrnval  one  pound  and  a 
halt  of  water  three  gallons  ;  draw  off  one  gallon  with  a 
gentle  fire. 

The  water  drawn  from  green  pennyroyal  by  the  cold 
still,  is  VL-ry  fragrant,  and  fully  impregnated  with  the 
virtues  of  the  plant. 


GHAP.  III. 
OF  MAKING  COMPOUND  WATERS  Al^D  CORDIALS. 

Article    I. 

Of  strong  Cinnamon-  Water. 

WE  have  already  [Chap.  II.  Art.  II.]  described  this 
drug,  and  given  some  directions  tor  chusing  the  best  sort, 
to  which  the  reader  is  referred. 

Recifiefor  sixteen  gallons  of  strong  Cinnamon-  Water. 

Tnke  eight  pounds  of  fine  cinnamon  bruised,  seventeeri 
gallons  of  clean  rectified  spirit,  and  two  gallons  of  water. 
Put  them  into  your  still,  and  digest  them  twenty-four 
hours  with  a  gentle  heat ;  after  which  draw  off  sixteen 
gallons  by  a  pretty  strong  heat. 

1  have  ordered  a  much  larger  quantity  of  cinnamon  than 
is  common  among  distillers  ;  because,  when  made  m  the 
manner  above  directed,  it  is  justly  looked  upon  as  one  of 
the  noblest  cordial  waters  ot  the  shops  \  but  when  made 
in  the  common  way,  ot  two  pounds  to  twenty  gallons  of 
spirits  as  some  have  ordered,  is  only  an  imposition  on  the 
buyer.  Some  also,  to  rerider  the  gooda  cheaper,  use  equal 
quantities  of  cinnamon  and  cassia  and  lignea  ;  but  by  this 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.        2Br 

means  the  cordial  is  rendered  much  worse;  and,  therefore, 
if  you  desire  a  fine  cinnamon  water,  the  above  recipe  will 
answer  you  intention  ;  but  if  a  cheaper  sort  be  desired,  you 
may  lessen  the  quantity  of  cinnamon,  and  add  cassia  lignea 
in  its  stead.  If  you  would  dulcify  your  cinnamon-water, 
take  double-refined  sugar,  what  quantity  you  please  ;  the 
general  proportion  is  about  two  pounds  to  a  gallon,  and 
dissolve  it  in  the  spirit  after  you  have  made  it  up  proof  with 
clean  water.  One  general  caution  is  here  necessary  to  be 
added,  namely,  that  near  the  end  of  the  operation  you 
carefully  watch  the  spirit  as  it  runs  nito  the  receiver,  in 
order  to  prevent  the  fa;nts  mixing  with  the  goods.  '1  his 
you  may  discover  by  often  catching  some  of  it,  as  it  runs 
from  the  worm,  in  a  glass,  and  observing  whether  it  is  fine 
and  transparent ;  for  as  soon  as  ever  the  faints  begin  to 
rise,  the  spirit  will  have  an  azure,  or  bluish  cast.  As  soon, 
therefore,  as  you  perceive  this  alteration,  change  the  re- 
ceiver immediately  ;  for  if  you  suffer  the  faints  to  mix  with 
your  other  goods,  the  value  of  the  whole  will  be  greatly 
lessened.  With  regard  to  the  faints,  they  are  to  be  kept 
by  themselves,and  poured  into  the  still  when  afresh  parcel 
of  the  same  goods  is  to  be  made. 

It  is  also  necessary  to  observe  here,  once  for  all,  that 
the  distillers  call  all  goods  made  up  proof,  double  goods  ^i 
and  those  which  are  below  proof,  single.  This  observa- 
tion will  be  alone  sufficient  to  instruct  the  young  distiller 
how  he  may  at  any  time  turn  his  proof  or  double  goods 
into  single. 

Article  II. 

Of  Clove- Water, 

Cloves,  from  whence  this  water  takes  Us  name,  are  the 
fruit  of  a  tree  growing  in  the  Molucca  islands.  The  figure 
of  this  fruit  is  oblong,  and  not  very  thick,  resembling,  in 
some  measure,  a  nail.  The  surface  of  it  is  rough,  and  the 
colour  a  dusky  brown,  witl*»an  admixture  of  redish  1  he 
whole  fruit  is  of  an  extremely  fragrant  smell,  and  ot  an 
acid,  pungent,  and  very  aromatic  taste  Cloves  are  to  be 
chosen  the  largest,  fairest,  darkest  coloured,  the  heavieit, 
and  most  unctuous  on  the  surface,  when  pressed  between 
the  fingers.  Cloves  are  carminative,  and  good  against  all 
distempers  of  the  head  arising  from  cold  causes  They 
strengthen  the  sight,  ard  are  good  against  faintings,  palpi- 
tations of  the  heart,  and.  crudities  in  the  stomach. 

Recipe  for  fifteen  gallons  of  Clove-  Water., 

Take  of  cloves  bruised  four  pounds,  piniento  or  allspice, 
clean  proof  of  spirit  sixteen  gallons  ;  let  it  digest  twelve 


288        SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

hours  in  a  gentle  heat,  and  then  draw  off  fifteen  gallons 
with  a  prettv  brisk  fire.    Or, 

Take  JVmter*s  bark  four  pounds,  pimento  six  ounces, 
Glover  one  pound  and  a  quarter,  clean  proof  of  spirits  six- 
teen gallons  :  digest,  and  draw  off  as  before. 

The  Winter's  bark,  added  in  the  second  recipe,  is  the 
bark  of  a  large  tree,  growing  in  several  parts  of  America, 
and  has  its  nam'e  from  its  discoverer,  Captain  Winter, 

The  outer  rind  of  it  is  of  an  uneven  surface,  and  of  a 
loose  texture,  very  brittle,  and  easily  powdered.  The 
inner  part,  in  which  principal  virtue  resides,  is  hard,  and 
of  a  dusky  redish  brown  colour.  It  is  of  an  extremely  fra- 
grant and  aromotic  smell,  and  of  a  sharp,  pungent,  and 
spicy  taste,  much  hotter  than  cinnamon  in  the  mouth,  and 
leaving  in  it  a  more  lasting  flavor  It  is  to  be  chosen  in 
pieces  not  too  large,  having  the  inner  or  brown  part  firm 
and  sound,  and  of  a  very  pungent  taste  It  is  apt  to  be 
v/orm-eaten  ;  but  in  that  case  it  should  be  wholly  rejected 
as  having  lost  the  most  essential  part  of  its  virtue. 

If  you  desire  to  have  your  clove-water  red,  it  may  be 
coloured  either  by  a  strong  tincture  of  cochineal,  alkanet- 
root.  or  corn-poppy  flowers.  The  first  gives  the  most 
elegent  colour,  but  it  is  not  often  used  on  account  of  its 
dearness. 

You  may  dulcify  it  to  your  palate,  by  dissolving  in  it 
double-refined  sugar-  Some  for  cheapness  use  a  coarser 
kind  of  sugar  :  but  this  renders  the  goods  foul  and  unsight- 
ly. Some  also,  to  save  expences,  make  what  they  call 
clove-water,  with  cloves  and  caraway  seeds  ;  the  propor- 
tion they  generally  use  is  half  an  ounce  of  cloves  and 
two  drachms  of  carraway-seeds  to  a.  gallon  of  spirit* 

Article  III. 

Of  Citron-  Water* 

The  citron  Is  an  agreeable  fruit  resembling  a  lemon  in 
colour,  smell,  and  taste.  The'lnside  is  white,  fleshy  and 
thick,  containing  but  a  small  quantity  of  pulp,  in  propor- 
tion to  the  bigness  of  the  fruit. 

Redfie  for  making  ten  gallons  of  Citron-  Water, 

Take  of  dry  yellow  rinds  of  citron  four  pounds,  clean 
proof  spirit  ten  gallons  and  a  half,  water  one  gallon  ;  di- 
gest the  whole  twenty-four  hours  with  a  gentle  heat ;  draw 
off  ten  gallons  with  a  gentle  fire  ;  or,  which  is  much 
better,  in  Balneum  Marix,  and  dulcify  it  with  fine  sugar 
to  your  palate.     Or, 

Take  of,  dry  yellow  rinds  of  citrons  three  pounds^of 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         289 

orange  peel  two  pounds,  nutmegs  bruised  three  quarters 
of  a  pound  ;  digest,  draw  off,  and  dulctfy  as  before. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  pleasant  cordials  we  have;  and 
the  addition  of  the  nutmegs,  in  the  second  receipt,  increa- 
ses its  virtue  as  a  cephalic  and  stonnachic* 

Article  IV. 

OJ  Anisud-  Water. 

Aniseed  is  a  small  seed  of  an  oblong  shape,  each  Avay 
ending  in  an  obtuse  point ;  its  surface  is  very  deeply  stria- 
ted, and  it  is  of  a  soft  and  lax  substance,  very  light,  and 
easily  broken.  Its  colour  is  a  kind  of  pale  olive  or  gi  een- 
ish  grey ;  it  has  a  very  strong  and  aromatic  smell,  and  a 
sweetish  but  acrid  taste*  but  in  the  v/hole  not  disagreeable. 
Aniseed  should  be  chosen  large,  fair,  new,  and  clean,  (fa 
good  smell,  and  acrid  taste-  "Fhe  plant  that  produces  it  is 
cultivated  in  many  parts  of  France ;  but  the  finest  seed 
comes  from  the  island  of  Malta,  where  it  is  raised  for  sale, 
and  whence  a  great  part  of  Europe  is  supplied. 

Recipe  Jot  ten  gallons  of  Aniseed-  Water. 

Take  o'  aniseed  bruised  two  pounds,  proof  spirit  twelve 
gallons  and  a  ucti*,  .. u.iv.»  «^w^  ^-nv^w,  ^.^,,  ^..  —  g^^..\.^.^ 
■with  a  moderate  fird^     Or, 

Take  of  the  seedof  anise  and  angelica,  each  two  pounds, 
proof  spirit  twelve  trallcms  and  a  lialf  ;  dmw  (  ff  as  bf  f'  re. 

Aniseed- vvater  should  never  be  reduced  below  proof, 
because  of  the  lark'e  quantity  of  oil  with  which  thespiriiis 
impretjnated,  and  wh  ch  will  render  the  goodbuilkv  and 
foul,  whi  n  brought  down  below  proiit  ;  but  it  here  be  a 
a  necfssity  for  doing  this,  the  poodb  n  ust  bt  filtrated 
either  through  jiaper  or  the  filtrating  bag,  which  will  res- 
tore their  transparency 

Aniseed  water  is  a  good  carminative,  and  therefore  in 
great  request  among  the  conr.mon  people  against  the  cholic= 

Article  V. 

Of  Mint-  Water. 

The  mint  intended  in  this  receipe  is  the  common  spear- 
mint, an  account  (d  which  has  already  been  given,  [Chap 
II.  Art  v.] 

Recipe  for  ten  gallons  of  Mint-  Water. 

Take  of  dry  spearmint  leaves  fourteen  pounds,  proof 
spirit  ten  gallons  and  a  half,  water  two  gallons;  draw  off 
ten  gallons  by  a  gentle  heat.  You  may  dulcify  it  with  su- 
gar if  required' 


290        SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

Mint-water  is  greatlv  recommended  by  the  learned 
Botrkaave  and  Hoffman  against  vomiting,  nauseas,  and 
tjie  ciioiic. 

Article  VI. 

Of  Pefifiermint-  Water. 

The  peppermint  has  been  already  described,  [Chap  II. 
Art.  IV.]  to  which  the  reader  is  referred. 

Recei/iefor  ten  gallons  of  Pefifiermint-  Water. 

Take  of  dry  peppermint  leaves  fourteen  pounds,  proof 
spirit  ten  gallons  and  a  half,  water  one  gallon  draw  off 
ten  gallons  by  a  gentle  fire.  You  may  either  dulcify  it  or 
not. 

Peppermint -water  is  a  noble  stomachic,  good  against 
vomiting,  nauseas,  chohc,  and  other  gripin.;^  pains  in  the 
bowels  ;  in  all  which  intentions  it  greatly  exceeds  the 
common  spearmint-water. 

Article  VII. 

Of  Usquebaugh. 

tJsquebaugh,  is  a  very  celebrated  jfordial,  the  basis  of 
which  is  saffron.  There  are  different  ways  ot  making  this 
famous  compound  ;  but  the  following  are  equal  to  any  I 
have  seen^ 

Recifie  for  ten  gallons  of  common  Usquebaugh. 

Take  of  nutmegs,  cloves,  and  cinnamon,  of  each  two 
ounces ;  of  the  seeds  of  anise,  caraway,  and  coriander,  of 
each  four  ounces  ;  liquorice-root  sliced,  half  a  pound  ; 
bruise  the  seeds  and  spices  and  put  them  together  with 
the  liquorice  into  the  still  with  elevf  n  gallons  of  proof 
spirits,  and  two  gallons  of  water ;  distil  with  a  pretty  brisk 
fire  till  the  faints  begin  to  rise.  But  as  soon  as  your  still 
begins  to  work,  fasten  to  the  nose  of  the  worm  two  ounces 
of  English  saffron  tied  up  in  a  cloth,  that  the  liquor  may 
run  through  it,  and  extract  all  its  tincture  ;  and  in  order 
to  this  you  should  often  press  the  saffron  with  your  fin- 
gers. When  the  operation  is  finished,  dulcify  your  goods 
with  fine  sugar. 

Receifiefor  making  ten  gallons  of  Royal  Usquebaugh. 

Take  of  cinnamon,  ginger,  and  coriander-seed,  of  each 
three  ounces  ;' nutmegs,  four  ounces  and  a  half;  mace, 
cloves,  and  cubebs,  of  each  one  ounce  and  a  half.    Bruise 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  6cc.  291 

these  ingredienis,  and  but  them  into  an  alenibic  with  elev- 
en gallons  of  proot  spirit,  and  two  gallons  of  watei  ;  and 
distil  tiil  the  faints  begin  to  rise  ;  fastening  foi.r  ounces  and 
a  hilf  of  English  saffron  tied  m  a  cloth  to  the  end  of  the 
-worm  as  directed  in  the  preceding  recipe,  lake  rais:i%, 
stoned,  tour  pounds  and  a  half  ;  dates,  three  poui  ds  ; 
liquorice-r-ots  sliced,  two  pounds;  digest  these  tv. «  Ive 
hours  in  two  gallons  of  water  ;  stiain  out  the  ckai  liquor 
add  it  to  that  obtained  by  distillation,  and  dulcify  the 
whole  with  fine  sugar. 

Recetfie  for  ten  gallons  oj  Usquebaugh  by  digestion. 

Take  of  raisins  stoned,  five  pounds  ;  figs  sliced,  one 
pound  and  a  half  ;  cinnamon  half  a  pound  ;  nutmegs  three 
ounces  ;  cloves  and  mace,  of  each  one  out  ce  and  a  half; 
liquorice  two  pounds  ;  saffron  four  ounces  ;  bruise  tlie 
spices,  slice  the  hquonce,  and  pull  the  saffron  in  pieces  ; 
digfc-st  these  ingredients  eight  days  in  ten  gallons  of  pr<,K)f 
spirit,  in  a  vessel  close  stopped  ;  chen  filter  the  liquor,  and 
add  to  it  two  gallons  of  Canary  wine,  and  half  an  ounce  of 
the  tincture  of  ambergris. 

Rtceipefor  making  ten  gallons  of  French  Usquebaugh, 

Take  of  saffron  three  ounces  of  the  essential  oil  or  es- 
sence of  Florentine  citron,  bergamot,/'c/nw^''a^  orange,  and 
lemon,  of  each  a  hundred  drops ;  angelca  seed,  vanellos, 
and  mace,  of  each  one  ounce  and  a  half  ;  cloves  and  co-" 
riander-seed,  of  each  three  quarters  of  an  ounce  ;  bruise 
the  seeds  and  spices,  and  put  all  into  an  alembic  with  ele- 
ven gallons  of  proof  spirit,  and  two  gallons  of  water  ;  and 
draw  off  with  a  gentle  fire  till  the  faints  begin  to  rise,  fast- 
ening to  the  nose  of  the  worm  four  ounces  of  saffron  in  a 
cloth.  When  the  operation  is  finished  dulcify  the  goods 
"with  fine  sugar. 

These  waters  are  excellent  cephalic  cordials,  and  alex- 
ipharmics  ^tand  are  excelled  by  nothing  in  suddenly  reviv- 
ing the  spirits  when  depressed  by  sickness,  &c. 

Article  VIII. 

Of  ratafia. 

Ratafia  is  a  liquor  in  great  esteem,  and  most  persons 
are  acquainted  with  it ;  though  the  true  method  of  mak- 
ing it  is  known  only  to  a  few  Thi  re  are  various  kinds  of 
ratafia  made  from  different  fruits.  1  shall  give  recipes  for 
making  those  which  are  at  present  in  most  esteem  ;  which 
may  serve  as  instances  for  making  these  goods Jrom  any 
other  kinds  of  fruit' 


292         SECRETS  IN  ARTS.  TRADES,  &c. 
Of  red  Ratafia, 

There  are  three  sorts  of  ratafia  drawn  from  red  fruits, 
distinguished  by  the  ephitbets.y^Tze,  dry,  and  common^ 

The  fruits  most  proper  to  n.ake  the  rf  d  ratafia  are  the 
black  heart  cherry,  the  common  red  cherry,  the  black 
cherry,  the  inerrv  or  honey  cherry,  the  strawberry,  the 
raspberry,  the  red  gooseberry,  and  the  mulberry. 

These  fruits  should  be  gathered  in  the  height  of  their 
respective  seasons,  and  the  largest  and  most  beautiful  of 
them  chosen  for  that  pupose. 

Thus  with  regard  to  the  heart  cherry,  it  should  be  large 
fleshy,  and  thorough  but  not  over  ripe  i  for  then  a  part  of 
its  juice  will  be  evaporated  on  the  tree;  care  must  be 
also  taken  that  its  colour  be  not  decayed  ;  but  clear  and 
almost  transparent,  and  well  tasted. 

The  black  cherry,  or  as  it  is  often  called,  the  black 
arvon.  must  be  extremely  ripe,  because  it  is  used  to  colour 
the  ratafia  when  that  of  the  other  fails.  The  criterion  of 
judging  when  it  is  thoroughly  ripe,  is  its  blackness  ;  for, 
when  in  perfection,  it  is  perfectly  black.  It  should  also  be 
remeribered  that  this  fruit  is  better  and  more  profitable  in 
proportion  to  its  sweetness  ;  as  the  flavor  of  the  ratafia 
will  be  rendered  more  agreeable,  and  a  less  quantity  of 
sugar  necessary. 

As  the  gooseberry  is  an  acid  fruit,  it  must  be  chosen  as 
ripe  as  possible.  The  fruit  large,  and  the  skin  and  husk 
so  transparent  as  to  see  the  seeds  through  it.  The  goose- 
berry should  be  used  immediately  after  its  being  gathered, 
for  it  is  very  liable  to  ferment,  which  will  inevitably  spoil 
the  ratafia.  Gooseberries  are  chiefly  used  to  render  the 
ratafia  dry  or  sharp»  and  consequently  less  soft,  and  there- 
fore their  quantity  should  always  be  proportioned  to  that 
intention. 

The  merry  cherry  to  be  good  should  be  small,  black, 
the  skin  transparent,  full  of  liquor,  of  a  deep  black  purple 
colour.  The  greatest  care  should  be  taken,  that  it  be  fresh 
gathered,  and  not  rotten.  It  corrects  the  acid  juices  of 
the  other  fruits  by  its  sweetness,  softens  the  composition, 
and  is  of  great  service  in  colouring  the  ratafia. 

The  mulberry  is  of  the  greatest  service  in  colouring  the 
ratafia.  It  should  be  «hosen  large,  and  fully  ripe,  at  which 
time  it  is  of  a  black  purple  colour.  Its  taste  also  greatly 
contributes  to  render  the  ratafia  of  a  pleasant  and  agreea- 
ble flavor. 

The  strawberry  greatly  contributes  to  increase  the  rich 
flavor  of  the  ratafia  ;  but  it  must  be  chosen  ripe  and 
large,  fresh  gathered  and  not  bruised.  Another  caution 
necessary  to  this  fruit  is,  that  they  are  gathered  in  dry 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  Sec.         29S 

warm  weather  ;  for  if  gathered  in  rainy  weather,  they 
will  want  that  fine  tasie,  for  which  they  are  so  greatly 
valued. 

The  raspberry  is  also  added  to  augment  the  richness  of 
the  liquor,  to  which  its  elegant  perfumy  taste  greatly  con- 
tributes ;  by  its  agreeable  acidity  it  renders  the  flavor 
more  brisk  and  agreeable.  It  must  be  fresh  gathered,  full 
ripe,  and  free  from  spots  and  mouldiness,  which  the  fruit 
is  particularly  subject  to. 

Having  thus  concisely  enumerated  the  qualities  requisite 
in  the  several  fruits  to  render  the  ratafia  of  a  rich  ele- 
gant  flavor,  we  shall  proceed  to  give  the  best  methods  for 
making  ratafia  from  them. 

Recipe  for  making  red  Ratafia  fine  and  soft- 

Take  of  the  black  heart  cherries,  twenty-four  pounds, 
black  cherries,  four  pounds,  raspberries  and  strawberries, 
of  each  three  pounds,  pick  these  fruits  from  their  stalks 
and  bruise  them,  in  which  condition  let  them  continue 
twelve  hours,  press  out  the  juice,  and  to  every  pint  of  it 
add  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  sugar.  When  the  sugar  is  dis- 
solved, run  the  whole  through  the  filtrating  bag,  and 
add  to  it  three  quarts  of  clean  proof  spirits.  Then  take 
of  cinnamon  four  ounces,  of  mace  an  ounce,  and  of  cloves 
two  drachms.  Bruise  these  spices,  put  them  into  an  alem- 
bic, with  a  gallon  of  clean  proof  spirits  and  two  quarts  of 
water,  and  draw  off  a  gallon  with  a  brisk  fire-  Add  as 
much  of  this  spicy  spirit  to  your  ratafia  as  will  render  it 
agreeable  to  your  palate,  about  one  fourth  is  the  usual 
proportion. 

Ratafia  made  according  to  the  above  recipe  will  be  of  a 
very  rich  flavour,  and  elegant  colour*  It  may  be  render- 
ed  more  or  less  of  a  spicy  flavor,  by  adding  or  diminishing 
the  quantity  of  spirit  distilled  from  the  spicts." 

Some  in  making  {ratafia,  suffer  the  expressed  juices  of 
their  fruits,  to  ferment  several  days ;  by  this  means  the 
vinosity  of  the  ratafia  is  increased ;  but,  at  the  same  time, 
the  elegant  flavor  of  the  fruits  greatly  diminished.  Where- 
fore, if  the  ratafia  be  desired  stronger  or  more  vinous,  it 
may  be  done  by  adding  more  spirits  to  the  expressed 
juice  by  which  means  the  flavor  of  the  fruits  may  be  pre- 
served, as  well  as  the  ratafia  rendered  stronger. 

It  is  also  a  method  with  some  to  tie  the  spices  in  a  linen 
rag,  and  suspend  them  in  the  ratafia.  But  if  this  me- 
thod be  taken,  it  will  be  necessary  to  augment  the  quanti- 
ty of  spirit  first  added  to  the  expressed  juice.  There  is 
no  great  difference  in  the  two  methods  of  adding  the  spices, 
except  that  by  suspending  them  in  the  ratafia,  the  liquof 
is  generally  rendered  less  bright  and  transparent, 
Cc 


394  SECRET  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c. 

There  is  also  another  method  practised  in  making  ra- 
tafia, which  is  this :  take  the  quantity  of  fruit  proposed* 
bruise  it,  and  immediate  ly  pour  the  spirit  on  the  pulp.  Af- 
ter standing;  a  day  or  two,  express  the  juice  and  spirit,  fil- 
trate it,  and  add  the  sugar  and  spices  as  before.  But  this 
method  requires  more  spirit  than  the  former,  as  it  will  be 
impossible  to  press  it  all  out  of  the  skins,  and  other  parts 
of  the  fruit  remaining,  after  the  juice  is  extracted. 

Of  making  fine  and  dry  Ratafia  from  red  Fruit. 

Though  the  ratafia  we  have  just  mentioned  will  doubt- 
less please  the  palates  of  many  people,  yet  there  are  others 
who  vvould  prefer  a  different  sort  ;  it  is  therefore  necessa- 
ry to  know  how  to  make  dry  as  well  as  sweet  ratafia,  if 
we  are  desirous  of  pleasing  all  sorts  of  palates. 

Dry  ratafia  is  prepared  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
preceding,  but  the  ingredients  are  different. 

An  equal  quantity  of  cherries  and  gooseberries  are  ne- 
cessary m  making  dry  or  sharp  ratafia :  because  the  acidity 
of  the  gooseberries  gives  the  requisite  flavor  to  this  sort  of 
liquor.  But,  at  the  same  time  care  must  be  taken  that  the 
gooseberries  be  fully  ripe,  for  otherwise,  though  goose- 
berries are  more  acid  before  they  are  ripe  than  after- 
wards, yet  that  acidity  is  not  the  flavour  desired  ;  it  is 
acerb  and  rough,  and  will  render  the  flavor  of  the  ratafia 
disagreeable.  The  same  observation  holds  good  also  with 
regard  to  the  cherries,  they  must  be  fully  ripe,  as  in 
making  the  soft  ratafia. 

Instead  of  black  cherries  used  in  the  composition  of  the 
preceding  ratafia,  mulberries  should  be  used  in  this  :  ^he 
reason  of  this  change  is.  that  the  juice  of  the  black  cherry 
is  more  sweet  and  glutinous  than  that  of  the  mulberry, 
and  therefore  less  fit  for  making  the  ratafia.  But  the  mul- 
berries must  be  the  ripest  and  blackest  possible,  in  order 
to  give  the  better  colour  to  the  liquor. 

More  spirit  and  less  sugar  in  proportion  to  the  juice  of 
the  fruit  is  also  required  in  this  composition  than  in  the 
foregoing  ;  but  with  regard  to  the  spices,  the  same  quan- 
tity is  generally  added  to  both. 

Recipe  for  making  red  Ratafia,  fine  and  dry. 

Take  of  cherries  and  gooseberries,  of  each  thirty 
pounds,  mulberries,  seven  pounds,  raspberries,  ten  pounds. 
Pick  ail  these  fruits  clean  from  their  stalks.  &c.  bruise 
them,  and  let  them  stand  twelve  hours,  but  do  not  suffer 
them  to  ferment.  Press  out  the  juxe,  and  to  every  pint 
add  three  ounces  of  sugar  ;  when  the  sugar  is  dissolved, 
run  it  through  the  filtrating  bag,  and  to  every  five  pints  of 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  2cc.         293^ 

liquor  add  four  pints  of  clean  proof  spirit,  together  witli 
the  same  proportion  of  spirit  drawn  from  the^spices  in  the 
foregoing  composition. 

But  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  observe  here,  that  different 
distillers  use  dff^rent  quantities  of  the  spirit  drawn  from 
the  spices  The  best  method,  therefore  is  to  imitate 
the  flavor  most  universallv  approved  of,  which  may  be  ea- 
sily done,  by  adding  a  greater  or  less  proportion  of  the 
spiced  spirit. 

OJ  mixed  Ratafia. 

By  mixed  ratafia  is  meant  the  juices  of  fruits  prepared, 
and  ready  to  be  mixed  with  the  spirit  when  called  for. 

Keceifitfor  making  mixed  Ratafia. 

Ratafia  is  composed  of  cherries  and  gooseberries;  of 
these  the  best  are  to  be  chosen,  bruised,  and  in  that  con- 
dition suffered  to  remain  some  days  to  ferment.  The 
juice  is  then  to  be  strained  off,  the  quantity  of  sugar  and 
brandv  added,  and  the  whole  put  into  a  cask,  and  close 
stopped.  A  lee  or  sediment  will  fall  to  the  bottom  of  the 
cask,  which  sedioient  will  be  of  great  use  in  preserving 
the  ratafia. 

The  proportion  of  black  cherries  will  be  large  in  this 
ratafia,  because  the  colour,  which  this  is  greatly  valued 
for,  chieflv  corner  from  the  juice  of  that  fruit. 

The  su-^nr  mast  not  be  put  in  at  once,  because  the  acid- 
ness  of  the  liquor  would  cause  a  considerable  effervescence, 
buibv  a  little  at  a  time. 

These  instructions  being  observed,  a  ratafia  of  this  kind 
may  be  easily  made  :  and  as  the  spirit  is  not  to  be  mixed 
with  it,  till  the  ratafia  is  called  for,  a  large  quantity  of  it 
mav  be  made  at  a  small  expence,  when  the  fruits  are  in 
perfection,  which  cannot  be  done  by  the  common  methods, 

Rccei/itsfor  making  mixed  Ratafia 

Take  of  common  cherries,  thoroughlv  ripe,  ^our  hun- 
dred and  fifty  pounds  ;  gooseberries  large  and  rijie,  two 
hundred  and  twenty- five  pounds  ;  black  cherries,  ripe  and 
large,  fifty  pounds.  Bruise  these  fruits,  and  in  that  condi- 
tion let  them  continue  three  or  four  davs  to  ferment  :  then 
press  out  the  juice,  and  add  one  fifth  part  of  spirit  ;  that 
is,  if  you  have  two  hundred  and  fittv  pints  of  juice,  vou 
must  add  to  it  fifty  pints  of  spirit.  When  your  sj^irit  and 
juice  are  mixed,  put  them  into  a  cask,  and  for  every  pint 
add  three  ounces  of  sugar-  By  this  means  your  ratafia 
will  be  always  ready  to  mix  with  spirit 

But  as  the  proportion  of  spirit  is  but  small,  it  will  be  ne- 


^96  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

eessary  to  taste  your  ratafia,  at  least,  every  month,  lest  it 
should  ferment,  and  by  thai  means  lose  both  its  flavour 
and  colour.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  you  perceive  the  least 
alteration  in  your  ratafia,  more  spirit  must  be  added  to 
stop  the  fermentation  ;  and  by  this  method  it  may  be  kept 
the  v/hole  year. 

If  you  have  any  ratafia  remaining  at  the  end  of  the  year, 
you  must  mix  it  with  that  just  made,  adding  a  large  pro- 
portion of  black  cherries ;  because  the  colour  in  the  old 
ratafia  will  not  be  equal  to  that  of  the  new.  Or  you  may 
add  to  your  old  ratafia  a  proper  quantity  of  the  fresh  juice 
of  black  cherries,  which  will  restore  its  colour,  and  in  a 
great  measure,  its  flavour  too  :  so  that  if  your  ratafia  has 
been  well  preserved,  it  will,  when  n"ii>;ed  with  fresh  juice 
of  black  cherries,  be  but  little  inferior  to  the  new. 

Of  white  Ratafia. 

As  red  fruits  are  the  basis  of  that  called  red  ratafia,  so, 
on  the  contrary,  that  made  from  the  juices  of  white  fruits 
is  denoaiinated  white  ratafia- 
There  are  various  kinds  of  ratafia  made  from  various 
fruits  ;  but  I  shall  only  give  recipes  for  making  three  or 
four  sorts,  which  will  be  sufficient  for  all  the  rest,  as  the 
method  is  nearly  the  same  in  all. 

Recipe  for  making  Ratafafrom  the  Muscat^  or  white 
Fronliniac  Grape. 

The  berries  of  this  kind  of  grape  are  large,  and  grow 
extrem.ely  close  upon  the  bunches,  which  are  very  long, 
and  have  commonly  two  shoulders;  the  fruit  when  ripe, 
has  a  rich  musky  flavor ;  but  it  is  commonly  very  late  in 
autumn  before  the^e  grapes  are  in  perfection  ;  and  the 
berries  being  so  very  close  upon  the  bunches,  detain  the 
moisture  in  the  centre,  so  that  thty  often  perish  :  to  pre- 
vent which,  some  curious  persons  look  ovt  r  their  vines, 
scon  after  the  grapes  are  formed,  and  with  a  pair  of  scis- 
sars  cut  out  all  snrialler  ones,  so  as  to  leave  the  others  at  a 
moderate  distance,  whereby  the  sun  and  air  are  easily  ad- 
mitted, which  dissipates  the  moisture.  and])revenVs  their 
perishing.  There  is  another  ki.d  of  this  grape,  called  by 
some  the  white  Frontiniac  of  Alexandria,  and  by  others 
the  Jerxisaltm  muscat,  which  is  a  very  lar.^e  grape,  and 
when  ripe  an  excellent  fruit-  The  berries  of  the  Jeru- 
salem muscat  are  of  an  oval  shape,  and  very  large.  They 
grow  very  lose  on  the  bunches,  and  very  fleshy  and  firm, 
and  when  ripe,  are  of  a  greenish  white,  and  a  delicate  fla- 
vor. 

Either  of  these  kind  of  grapes  will  make  very  fine  rata-. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  8cc.         297 

fia  ;  but  whichever  of  them  are  chosen,  they  must  be  pick= 
ed  from  the  stalks,  and  only  the  finest  berries  made  use 
of.  The  stone  must  also  be  picked  out  ;  for,  if  they  are 
bruised  with  the  berries,  the  fine  flavour  of  the  juice  will 
be  greatly  diminished. 

VVhen  you  have  picked  the  grapes  from  the  stalks,  and 
taken  out  the  stones,  press  out  the  juice,  and  fikrate  it 
through  a  flannel  bag.  Then  add  the  quantity  of  sugar 
and  spirit,  and  flavor  it  to  your  mind,  with  a  spirit  distilled 
from  spices,  in  the  manner  explained  below- 

Ti:ie  general  proportion  of  sugar  and  spirit  is,  to  twenty 
pints  of  the  juice,  five  pounds  and  an  half  of  sugar,  ten 
pints  of  spirit,  and  what  quantity  you  please  of  the  spicy 
spirit. 

To  make  the  spicy  spirit,  take  of  mace,  one  pound  : 
nutmegs,  four  ounces  ;  spirit,  three  gallons,  and  draw  off 
the  whole  in  Balneum  J\Tarice. 

By  the  same  method  you  may  make  red  ratafia  from 
the  Ted  Frontiniac  ;  except  that  the  grapes  when  bruised, 
must  be  suffered  to  ferment  three  or  four  days  before  the 
juice  is  pressed  out;  because  the  colour,  which  resides 
principally  in  the  skins  of  the  grapes,  will  by  that  means 
be  extracted. 

The  berries  of  the  red  muscat,  or  red  Froiitiniac,  are 
about  the  size  of  those  of  the  white  ;  but  grow  much  thin- 
ner on  the  bunches.  This  grape,  when  thoroughly  ripe, 
has  the  richest  and  highest  flavor  of  any  yet  known  ;  but 
it  must  have  a  dry  soil  and  a  south  aspect,  otherwise  it 
seldom  ripens  well.  Besides  the  above  grape,  there  is 
another,  called  by  some, red  muscat  of  Alexandria,  and  by 
others,  red  Jerusalem  muscat.  This  is  not  quite  so  late  in 
ripening  as  the  white  muscditoi  Alexandria,  above  descri- 
bed ;  and  for  that  reason  more  esteemed.  The  berries  of 
this  kmd  are  not  quite  so  large  as  those  of  the  white,  but 
ef  the  same  form,  and  equal  in  goodness. 

Of  Ratajia  jrom  Peaches. 

The  ratafia  made  from  the  peach  is  the  finest  and  richest 
flavor  of  any  made  from  stoned  fruits.  It  is,  however,  ne- 
cessary to  gather  the  peach  when  thoroughly  ripe,  but  at 
the  same  time  not  to  suffer  it  to  hang  too  long  on  the  tree  : 
for,  as  on  the  one  hand,  it  will  not  acquire  its  delicious  fla- 
vor and  smell  till  thoroughly  ripe,  so.on  the  other,  it  will  lose 
both  if  suffered  to  hang  on  the  tree  after  it  has  attained  to 
a  full  maturity.  Another  necessary  caution  is  to  gather  it 
in  fine  warm  weather,  and  near  the  middle  of  the  day, 
because  then  both  the  flavor  and  smell  are  in  the  grcatetst 
perfection. 

C  c2 


298         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &C. 

It  is  also  requisite  to  make  choice  of  the  proper  sorts  of 
peaches  ;  for  there  is  a  remarkable  difference  in  thefiavor 
of  these  fruits.  Gardeners  reckon  above  thirty  sorts  of 
peaches  ;  but  not  more  than  half  that  number  are  proper- 
for  making  ratafia-  I  shall  therefore  give  a  short  des- 
cription of  those  that  are  most  proper,  that  the  young 
distiller  may  not  be  disappointed  in  making  ratafia  from 
peaches. 

1.  The  early  purple  (called  by  the  French-,  lafiourjirie 
fidiive.J  This  tree  hath  smooth  leaves  :  the  flowers  large 
and  open  ;  the  fruit  is  large,  round,  and  of  a  fine  red  col- 
our ;  the  flesh  is  white,  but  very  red  at  the  stone  ;  very 
full  of  juice,  which  has  a  rich  vinous  flavor.  This  peach 
is  ripe  about  the  middle  of  August. 

2  The  large,  or  French  mignon.  The  leaves  of  this  tree 
are  smooth.,  and  the  flowers  large  and  open.  The  fruit  is  a 
little  oblong,  generally  swelling  out  on  one  side,  and  of  a 
fine  colour  The  juice  is  very  sweet,  and  of  a  high  flavor ; 
the  flesh  white,  but  very  red  at  the  stone,  which  is  small, 
and  easily  separates  from  the  flesh.  This  peach  is  ripe  in 
the  middle  of  August. 

3.  The  chevreuse,  or  belle  chevreuse.  This  tree  hatli 
smooth  If  aves,  and  its  flowers  are  small  and  contracted. 
The  fruit  is  of  a  middling  size,  a  little  oblong, and  of  an  ele- 
gant colour.  The  flesh  is  white,  but  very  red  at  the  stone, 
from  which  it  separates  ;  full  of  a  rich  sugary  juice,  and 
ripens  toward  the  latter  end  of  August. 

4  The  red  magdalen,  called  by  the  French  about  Paris, 
Magdeleine  de  Courson,  The  leaves  ofthis  tree  are  deeply 
sawed,  and  the  flowers  large  and  open  The  fruit  is  large, 
round.and  of  a  fine  red  colour.  The  flesh  is  while,but  very 
red  at  the  stone,  from  which  it  separates.  1  he  juice  is  very 
sugary  and  of  a  rich  flavor.  It  is  ripe  the  latter  end  of 
August. 

5.  Smithes  JS/ewington.  This  tree  hath  sawed  leave  3 
and  large  open  flowers.  The  fruit  is  of  a  middling  size> 
and  of  a  fine  red  next  the  sun.  The  flesh  is  very  firm  and 
white,  but  very  red  at  the  stone,  to  which  it  closely  ad- 
heres. It  has  a  rich  sugary  juice,  and  is  ripe  the  lattey 
end  of  August. 

6.  The  chancellor.  The  leaves  of  this  tree  are  smooth 
and  the  flowers  small  and  contracted.  The  fruit  is  shaped 
somewhat  like  the  belle  chevreuse,  but  rounder.  The  flesh 
is  white  aod  melting,  and  separates  frotn  the  stone,  where 
it  is  of  a  fine  red  colour.  The  skin  is  very  thin,  and  the 
juice  remarkably  rich.  It  ripens  about  the  end  of  August* 

7.  The  bellegarde  ;  or,  as  the  French  call  it,  the  gal- 
lande.  This  tree  hath  narrow  leaves,  and  small  contracted 
flowers.    The  fruit  is  very  large  and  round,  and  of  a  deep 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  8cc.         299 

purple  colour  on  the  side  exposed  to  the  sun.  The  flesh  is 
Avhite,  melting  and  separates  from  the  stone,  where  it  is  of 
a  deep  red  colour.  The  juice  is  very  rich.  This  peach  is, 
ripe  about  the  beginning  of  Sef;tember, 

8.  The  bourdine.  The  leaves  ot  this  tree  are  smooth, 
and  the  flowers  small  and  contracted  The  fruit  is  large, 
round,  and  of  a  fine  red  colour  next  the  sun.  The  flesh 
is  white,  melting,  and  separates  from  the  stone,  where  it 
is  oi  a  fine  red  colour.  The  juice  is  vinous  and  rich.  It  is 
ripe  the  beginning  of  Septemben  and  greatly  esteemed 
by  the  curious. 

9  1  he  Lisle  ;  or,  as  the  French  call  it,  la  pejietite  vio^ 
lette  hdtive.  This  tree  hath  smooth  leaves,  and  small  con- 
tracted flowers.  The  fruit  is  of  a  middle  size,  and  next  the 
sun  of  a  fine  violet  colour.  The  flesh  is  of  a  pale  yellow, 
melting,  lull  of  a  rich  vinous  juice  ;  but  adheres  to  the 
stone,  where  it  is  very  red.  This  fruit  is  ripe  the  begin- 
ning of  September, 

10.  I'he  old  JVewmgton.  The  leaves  of  this  tree  are 
sawed,  and  ihe  flowers  large  and  open.  The  fruit  is  fair, 
large,  and  of  a  beautitul  colour  next  the  sun.  The  flesh  is 
white,  melting,  and  closely  adheres  to  the  stone,  where  it 
IS  ot  a  deep  red  colour.  'Ihi  juice  is  very  rich  and  vinous. 
It  ripens  about  the  middle  of  September. 

11.  The  rambouillet,  commonly  called  the  rambullion. 
This  tree  hath  smooth  leaves, and  large  open  flowers.  The 
fruit  is  ot  a  middling  siztr,  rather  round  than  long,  deeply 
divided  by  a  furrow  in  the  middle  ;  of  a  fine  red  colour 
next  the  sun,  but  of  a  light  yellow  next  the  wall.  The  flesh 
is  meitug,  of  a  bright  yellow  colour,  except  near  the 
stone,  trom  which  it  separates,  where  it  is  of  a  deep  red. 
The  juice  is  rich  and  of  a  vinous  flavor.  This  fruit  ripens 
about  itii:  middle  of  September. 

12  The  pourpree,  or,  as  the  French  generally  call  it, 
Pour/iree  tardtvtyXhe  late  purple.  The  leaves  of  this  tree 
are  very  large,  and  sawed,  the  shoots  strong,  and  the 
flowers  small  and  contracted.  The  flesh,  except  near 
the  stone,  from  which  it  separates,  and  where  it  is  red,  is 
white,  melting,  and  of  a  rich  sugary  juice.  It  is  not  ripe 
till  near  the  end  of  September. 

13. 1  he  nevette.  The  leaves  of  this  tree  are  sawed,  and 
the  flowers  small  and  contracted.  The  fruit  is  large, 
somewhat  longer  than  round,  oi  a  bright  red  colour  next 
the  sun,  and  of  a  pale  yellow  on  the  other.  The  flesh  is 
melting,  full  of  a  rich  juice,  and  very  red  at  the  stone, 
from  which  it  separates.  It  ripens  about  the  middle  ol 
September,  and  is  esteemed  one  of  the  best  peaches. 

14.  The  royal.  This  tree  hath  smooth  leaves,  and 
small  contracted  flowers.  The  fruit  is  large,  round,  and  of 
a  deep  red  on  the  side  exposed  to  the  sun,  but  of  a  pale 


300         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

yellow  on  the  other.  The  flesh  is  white,  melting,  and  full 
of  a  rich  juice,  of  a  white  colour,  except  near  the  stone, 
from  which  it  separates  where  it  is  of  a  deep  red.  This 
fruit  is  ripe  about  the  middle  of  September. 

15.  The  monstrous  pavy  of  pomponne  The  leaves  of 
this  tree  are  smooth,  the  flowers  large  and  open.  The 
fruit  is  very  large  and  round,  many  times  fourteen  inches 
in  circumference.  The  flesh  is  white,  melting,  and  closely 
adheres  to  the  stone,  where  it  is  of  a  deep  red  colour. — 
The  side  next  the  sun  is  a  beautifu:  red,  and  the  other  of 
a  pale  flesh  colour.  It  ripens  about  the  end  ct  October, 
and  when  the  autumn  is  warm,,  is  an  excellent  peach. 

The  above  description  of  the  different  kmds  of  peaches 
proper  for  making  ratafia,  will  be  of  use  to  the  young  artist, 
as  the  fine  flavor  of  this  Tquor  in  a  great  measure  depends 
on  a  proper  choice  of  the  truits  used  in  the  composition  ; 
and  if  the  instructions  relating  to  the  perfections  and  ripe- 
ness ot  these  fruits  are  observed,  an  excellent  cordial  may 
be  easily  made  in  the  following  manner  : 

Take  your  peaches,  bruise  them,  and  instantly  strain 
out  their  juice  through  apiece  of  strong  linen.  Inthisjuice, 
without  anv  mixture  of  water,  dissolve  your  sugar  ;  and 
when  the  su<ar  is  melted,  add  the  quantity  of  spirit.  No 
spices  must  be  used  in  this  ratafia,  the  fine  flavor  of  the 
peach  being  far  preferable  to  all  sp  ces  in  the  world.  The 
quantity  of  either  the  sugar  or  spirit  may  be  augmented 
or  lessened  acc-irding  to  your  own  judgement,  or  in  pro- 
portion to  the  price  of  your  ratafia. 

As  soon  as  the  spirit  is  added  to  the  dulcified  juice  of 
the  peaches,  the  whole  must  be  filtrated  thr  ugh  a  flannel 
bag,  put  into  bottles  close  stopped  ;  for  the  fine  flavor  of 
the  peach  will  soon  be  lost,  unless  the  bottles  are  very  well 
corked.  Some  also  cover  the  cork  with  sealing-wax,  which 
is  not  a  bad  caution. 

If  you  would  have  your  ratafia  of  a  bright  red  colour, 
you  must  let  your  bruised  peaches  ferment  a  day  or  two  ; 
by  which  means  ihe  colour  of  the  skin,  and  that  of  the 
flesh  near  the  stone,  will  be  extracted,  and  give  your  ra= 
tafia  the  colour  desired. 

Of  Orange -Jlotver  Ratafia. 

The  orange-flowers  used  in  making  ratafia  should  be 
large,  in  their  full  perfection,  gathered  before  the  rising 
of  the  sun,  and  carefully  picked  from  their  stalks,  &c — 
Some  blanch  the  orange-flowers,  by  putting  them  into  a 
small  quantity  of  water,  and  boiling  them  a  few  minutes 
over  the  fire.  But  by  this  method  the  most  volatile  parts 
of  the  flower  are  evaporated,  by  whieh  the  ratafia  >viU 
lose  much  of  its  delicate  flavor. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         301 

riie  best  way,  therefore,  is  to  use  the  orange- flowers 
without  any  previous  boiling. 

Re£ip€for  making  ten  gallons  of  Orange- flower  Ratafia, 

Take  of  orange-flowers  fresh  gathered  and  clean  pick- 
ed from  their  stalks,  &c  five  pounds,  and  infuse  them  six 
days  in  five  gallons  of  clean  proof  spirit.  Dissolve  fourteen 
pounds  of  sugar  in  five  ?;allons  of  water  ;  and  after  strain- 
ing the  spirit  from  the  flowers,  nnix  it  with  the  syrup,  and 
filtrate  the  whole  through  a  flannel  bag. 

Some  instead  of  coimnon  water  use  the  orange-flower 
water  ;  but  it  will  be  necessary  in  pursuing  that  method 
to  take  care  that  the  water  be  fresh  made,  and  very  fra- 
grant ;  for,  otherwise,  instead  of  improving,  you  will 
greatly  injure  the  fine  flavor  of  your  ratafia. 

The  foreign  distillers  keep  two  sorts  of  orange-flower 
ratafia  ;  one  they  call  single^  and  the  other  double.  The 
former  is  made  according  to  the  above  recipe  ;  but  in 
making  the  lattf  r,  ihey  use  double  the  quantity  of  orange- 
flowers,  and  considerably  augment  the  ])roportion  of  su- 
gar- It  will  be  needless  to  give  a  recipe  for  making  that 
sort  of  ratafia,  which  they  call  double,  as  the  process  is 
exactly  the  same. 

Ratajia  of  Portugal  Orange. 

Ratafia  may  be  made  from  any  sort  of  orange,  but  that 
of  the  Portugal  or2>.x\gQ  is  rtckoned  the  best. 

The  oranges  must  be  chosen  fair',  lar^e,  and  ripe  ;  and 
the  outer  or  yellow  pe-  1  be  carefuiiy  taken  off"  The 
juice  of  the  oranges  must  be  then  pressi-d  out,  dulcified 
with  sugar  :  and  mixed  with  the  spirit  :  after  which  the 
outer  nnds  are  to  be  added,  and  alter  a  proper  infusion, 
the  whole  filtrated  through  a  fiance!  oag. 

Recijie  for  wak'mg    three  gallons  of  Portugal  Orange 
Raiajia 

Take  of  the  juice  of  Portugal  oranges,  two  gallons  ; 
clean  rectified  spirit,  one  gallon  ;  four  pounds  of  sugar  ; 
and  the  peel  of  ten  oranges.  Let  the  whole  infuse  a  fort- 
night, and  the'.i  filter  the  liquor  through  a  flannel  bag. 

Some  instead  of  infusing  the  peel  as  directed  in  the  a- 
bove  recipe,  put  the  peel  into  the  spirit,  and  distil  it  in 
Palneum  Maria  ;  after  which  they  add  the  spirit  to  the 
dulcified  orange  juice,  and  filtrate  it  as  before. 

The  foregoing  recipes  for  making  ratafia  from  different 
fruits,  &c.  will  be  suflRcient  to  instruct  the  young  distiller 
in  the  method  necessary  to  be  pursued  for  making  cordir.'s 
of  this  kind  ;  for  it  would  be  tedious  to  give  formulas  f  v 


302         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

making  all  kinds  of  ratrifia  kept  by  diflerent  distillerso 
The  method  in  all  is  nearly  the  sanrie  ;  and  the  propor- 
tion of  su^ar  and  spirit  may  be  easily  discovered  by  a  few 
experiments. 

Article  IX. 

Of  Geneva, 

There  was  formerly  kept  in  apothecaries  shops  a  distill-' 
cd  spirituous  water  of  juniper  ;  but  the  vulgar  being  fond 
of  It  as  a  dra-n.  the  distill-^rs  supplanted  the  apothecaries 
and  sold  it  under  the  naiTje  of  Tieneva.  The  common  sort 
however,  is  not  made  from  juniper-berries,  as  it  oaght  to 
be,  but  from  oil  of  turpentine  ;  the  method  of  which  we 
shall  give  in  the  spquel  of  this  chapter. 

Juniper-berries  are  a  roundish  Truit,  of  the  size  of  a  pea. 
They  wither  and  wrinkle  in  the  drying,  and  we  meet  with 
theTi  variously  corrugated,  and  usually  covered  with  a 
bluish  resinous  d'lst  when  fresh.  They  should  be  chosen 
fresh,  plump,  full  of  pulp,  and  of  a  strong  taste  and  smell 
Some  of  th'i  juniper  shrubs  are  males,  some  females  of  the 
same  si.>ecies  ;  the  --r.iAlei-hrubs  produce  in  April  or  May  a 
small  kind  oi  juli  with  spices  on  them,  very  large,  and  full 
of  farina  ;  the  females  produce  none  ol  the  juli,  but  only 
the  berries,  which  do  not  rippn  till  the  second  year,  and 
thc-n  do  noti  i  mediately  f -Jl  r.ff,  so  that  it  is  no  uncon^mon 
thing  t  ■>  see  three  sets  of  berries,  or  the  berries  of  three 
different  yenrs  at  once  on  the  same  tree. 

^  If  you  make  use  of  American  berries,  let  them  be  fully 
ripe  before  tht-v  are  gathered  :  ind  in  order  to  preserve 
them,  spread  the^'  very  thin  on  a  b-^ardtd  floor,  leaving 
the  wmdo-vs  and  doors,  open,  and  turn  them  once  a  day 
till  they  are  drv  ;  atter  which  pack  them  up  in  barrels,  so 
that  no  air  may  co  -le  to  them  they  ^vill  keep  good  all  the 
year.  Some,  when  thev  are  dry,  throw  the  n  altogether 
in  a  heap  in  a  corner  of  the  room,  where  they  coiitij)ue  till 
wanted  for  use  :  but  the  berries  will  not  keep  so  well  by 
this  method,  as  by  being  packed  in  casks,  they  are  subject 
to  contract  a  mouldiness,  which  will  give  a  taste  to  the 
goods  greatly  to  their  disadvantage 

Sfj.nne  distillers,  as  soon  as  their  berries  are  gathered, 
put  them  into  casks,  and  cover  them  with  spirts  of  wine 
by  this  method  the  berries  are  indeed  well  preserved 
Avithnut  any  danger  of  contracting  an  ill  smell,  which  they 
are  very  apt  to  do  by  the  other  methods,  unless  the  great- 
est cae  be  taken;  but  then  it  must  be  ren.embered, 
that  the  spirit  will  extract  great  part  of  their  essential 
oil,  in  which  their  virtues  consists,  and  consequently  the 
b.erries  themselves  will  be  rendered  of  little  value,    if. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         SOS 

therefore,  you  preserve  your  berries  in  this  manner,  you 
should  put  into  each  cask  or  jar,  oi.ly  the  quantity  \ou 
use  for  one  charge  of  your  still  ;  and  when  you  have  oc- 
casion to  use  them,  put  both  the  spirits  and  berries  into 
your  alembic. 

Thus  your  berries  will  be  finelv  preserved,  without  any 
loss  either  of  their  essential  oil,  or  the  spirits  made  use  of 
to  preserve  them. 

Receifiefor  making'  ten  gallons  of  Geneva. 

Take  of  juniper  berries,  three  pounds  ;  proof  spirit, 
ten  gallons  ;  water,  four  gallons  Draw  off  by  a  gentle 
firt-  till  the  faints  begin  to  rise,  and  make  up  your  goods 
to  the  strength  required  with  clean  water. 

Thedistillers  generally  call  those  gools  which  are  made 
up  proof  bv  the  name  of  Royal  Geneva  ;  for  the  common 
sort  is  much  below  proof,  ten  gallons  of  spirit  being  suf- 
ficient for  fifteen  gallons  of  Geneva.  Nay,  what  is  gene- 
rally sold  at  the  common  alehouses  is  made  in  the  follow- 
ing manner. 

•  Take  of  the  ordinary  malt  spirits,  ten  gallons  ;  oil  of 
terpentine,  two  ounces  ;  bay  salt,  three  handfuls.  Draw 
off  by  a  gentle  fire  till  the  fanits  begin  to  raise,  and  make 
up  your  goods  to  ihe  strength  required  with  clean  water. 

In  this  manner  is  the  commr^n  geneva  made,  and  it  is 
surprising  that  people  should  accustom  themselves  to 
drink  it  for  pleasure. 

There  is  a  sort  of  this  liquor  called  Holland's  geneva, 
from  its  being  imported  from  Holland^  which  is  greatly 
esteemed. 

These  ingredients  used  by  the  Dutch  a>e,  however,  the 
same  as  those  given  in  the  first  recipe  of  this  article,  only 
instead  of  malt  spirit  they  use  French  brandy.  In  the  first 
part  of  this  Treatise  we  have  sufficiently  shewn  the  nature 
of  i^rencA  brandy,  and  in  what  its  excellence  consists;  and, 
also,  that  by  the  help  of  a  clean  spirit,  cordial  waters  may 
be  made  with  the  same  goodness  as  those  drawn  with 
French  brandy.  If,  therefore  the  distiller  be  careful  in 
distilling  and  rectifying  his  malt  spirit,  he  may  make  gene- 
va equal  to  that  of  the  Dutch,  provided  it  be  kept  to  a 
proper  age  ;  for  all  spirituous  liquors  contract  a  softness 
and  mellowness  by  age,  impossible  to  be  imitated  by  art. 

Article  X. 

Of  Cherry- Brandy' 

This  liquor  is  greatly  called  for  in  the  country ;  and  is 
made  different  ways.    Some  press  out  the  juice  of  the 


'304         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

cherries,  and  having  dulcified  it  with  sugar,  add  as  mucU 
spirit  to  it  as  the  goods  will  bear,  or  the  price  it  is  intend- 
ed to  be  sold  for.  But  the  common  method  is  to  put  the 
cherries  clean  picked  into  a  cask,  with  a  proper  quanti- 
ty of  proof  spirit,  and  after  standing  eighteen  or  twenty- 
days,  the  goods  are  drawn  off  into  another  cask  for  sale, 
and  about  two  thirds  of  the  first  quantity  of  spirits  pour- 
ed into  the  cask  upon  the  cherries-  This  is  suffered  to 
stand  about  a  month  to  extract  the  whole  virtue  from  the 
cherries,  after  which  it  is  drawn  off  as  before  ;  and  the 
cherries  pressed  to  take  out  the  spirit  they  had  absorbed. 
The  proportion  of  cherries  and  spirit  is  not  very  nicely 
observed  ;  the  y;eneral  rule  is  to  let  the  cask  be  about 
half  filled  with  cherries,  and  then  filled  up  with  proof 
spirits.  Some  add  to  every  twenty  gallons  of  spirit,  half  an 
GU!ice  of  cinnamon,  an  ounce  of  cloves,  and  about  three 
pounds  of  sugar,  by  which  the  flavor  of  the  goods  is  con- 
siderably increased.  But  in  order  to  save  expences,  not 
only  the  spices  and  sugar  are  generally  omitted,  but  also 
a  great  part  of  the  cherries,  and  the  deficiency  supplied 
by  the  juice  of  elder-berries.  Your  own  reason,  therefore, 
and  the  price  you  can  sell  your  goods  for,  must  direct  you 
in  the  choice  of  your  ingredients. 

By  the  same  method  you  may  make  raspberry  brandy ; 
and  if  the  colour  of  the  goods  be  not  deep  enough,  it  may 
be  improved  by  an  addition  of  cherry-brandy. 


THE 
COMPLETE 

FAMILY  BREWER  , 

OB,    THE 

BEST  METHOD  OF  BREWING  OR  MAKING 

Ajvr  quAj\rTiTT  of 

GOOD  STRONG  ALE  AND  SMALL  BEER. 

IN  THE  GREATEST  PERFECTION, 

FOR  THE  USE  OF  PRIVATE  FAMILIES  f 

From  a  Peck  of  Malt  to  60  Bushels- 


1^ 

THIS  Treatise  being  intended  principally  for  the  use  of 
private  faniilies,  it  will  be  necessary  to  begin  with 
Directions. 

How  to  choose  good  Malt' 

Malt  is  chosen  by  its  sweet  smell,  mellow  taste,  full 
flower,  round  body  and  thin  skin.  There  are  two  sorts  in 
general  used,  the  pale  and  the  brown  ;  the  forir  eris  most 
used  in  gentlemen's  houses,  and  private  families  ;  the  lat- 
ter in  public  brew  houses,  as  seeming  to  go  further,  and 
make  the  liquor  high  coloured.  Others  again  mix  one 
third  brown  with  two  thirds  pale  ;  but  this  depends  upon 
the  liking  of  the  drinkers.  The  sweetest  Malt  is  that 
which  is  dryed  with  coak  or  cinders. 

In  grinding  It,  see  that  the  mill  be  clean  from  dust,  cob- 
webs, 8cc.  and  set  so  as  to  crush  every  grain  without  grin- 
ding it  to  powder ;  for  you  had  better  have  some  small 
grains  slip  through  untouched.than  have  the  whole  ground 
too  small,  which  will  cause  it  to  take  together,  so  that  you 
cannot  get  the  goodne<^  out  of  it. 

OfBo/is. 

Hops  are  chosen  by  their  bright  green  colour,  sweet 
smell,  and  clamminess,  v;hen  rubbed  between  the  hands. 

Of  water  for  Brewing. 

Water  out  of  rivers  or  rivulets  is  the  best,  except  pol- 
luted by  the  melting  of  sncw  or  land  water  from  clay  or 
Dd 


CDS         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES.  &c. 

ploughed  lands.  Snow  water  will  take  near  one  fifth  part 
more  of  malt  to  make  the  beer  good.  If  you  have  no  ri- 
ver water,  a  pond  that  has  a  bottom  not  over  muddy, and 
is  fed  bv  a  spring  will  do  ;  for  the  sun  will  soi't^n  and  rare- 
fy it.  Very  hard  water  drawn  from  a  deep  well,  into  a 
wide  cistern  or  reservoir,  and  exposed  to  the  air  or  sun, 
in  twoor  three  days  has  been  brewed  with  success,  by  the 
addition  of  malt.  Rain  water  comes  next  to  river  for 
brewing,  in  short,  all  water  that  will  raise  a  I^therwith 
soap,  is  good  for  brewing. 

Of  the  brewing  vessels. 

To  a  copper  that  holds  36  gallons,  the  mash  tun  ought 
to  be  at  least  big  enough  to  contain  six  bushels  of  malt,  and 
the  copper  of  liquor,  and  room  for  mashing  or  stirring  it  : 
The  under  bick,  coolers  and  working  tuns,  may  be  rather 
fitted  for  the  convenience  of  the  room,  than  to  a  particu- 
lar size  ;  for  if  one  vessel  be  not  sufficient  to  hold  your  li- 
quor, you  may  take  a  second. 

Of  cleaning  and  sweetening  casks  and  Brewing  vessels. 

If  a  cask,  after  the  beer  is  drank  out,  be  well  stopt  to 
keep  out  the  air,  and  the  lees  remaining  in  it  till  you  want 
to  use  it  again,  you  will  need  only  to  scald  it  well,  and  take 
care  of  the  hoops  before  you  fill  it  ;  but  if  air  gets  into  a 
foul  emptv  cask,  it  will  contract  an  ill  scent  in  spite  of 
scalding.  A  handful  of  bruised  pepper  boiled  in  the  water 
you  hca'ld  with,  will  take  out  a  little  musty  smell ;  but  the 
surest  way  is  to  take  out  the  head  of  tiie  cask,  and  let  the 
cooper  shave  and  burn  it  a  little,  and  then  scald  it  for  use  ; 
if  ydu  cannot  conveniently  have  a  cooper  to  the  catsk,  get 
some  stone  hme,  and  put  about  three  pound  into  a  barrel, 
(and  proportiunably  to  smaller  or  bigger  vessels)  and  put 
to  it  about  six  gallons  of  cold  water,  bung  it  up,  and  shake 
it  about  for  som  time,  and  afterwards  scald  it  well  :  or 
for  want  of  lime,  take  a  linnen  rag,  and  dip  it  in  melted 
brimstone,  a'id  fasten  one  end  to  the  bung,  and  light  the 
other,  and  let  it  hang  on  the  ca-.k.  You  must  give  it  a  lit- 
tle air  else  it  will  not  burn  ;  but  keep  in  as  m.uch  of  the  sul- 
phur as  you  can.  Scald  it  aftervferds,  and  you  will  find 
110  ill  smell. 

If  von  have  new  casks,  before  you  fill  them,  dig  places 
in  the  earth,  and  lay  them  half  their  depth  with  their  bung 
holes  d  wnv.  ard  for  a  week  ;  and  after  well  scalding  them, 
you  may  venture  to  Htl  them. 

Another  way  to  proceed,  if  vo\ir  brewing  vessels  are 
tinged  with  any  ill  sn>ell,  is  to  take  unslac"'- ed  lime  and  wa- 
ter, and  with  an  old  broom  scrub  the  vessel  whilst  the  wa- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  S07 

rev  is  hissing,  with  the  lime  ;  ar.d  afterwards  take  all  this 
lime  and  water  away,  and  put  fresh  water  into  the  vessel, 
and  throw  some  bay  cr  con. n  on  salt  into  each,  and  let  it 
stand  a  day  or  two  ;  and  when  you  come  to  brew,  scald 
your  vessel,  throw  into  them  a  little  malt-dust  or  bran  ; 
and  this  will  not  only  finish  their  sweetening,  but  stop  them 
from  leaking. 

But  since  there  is  so  much  trouble  in  getting  vessels 
sweet  after  they  have  been  neglected,  you  ought  to  make 
all  thorough  after  brewing,  and  once  a  month  to  fill  your 
vessels  with  fair  water,  and  let  it  oft' again  in  two  or  diree 
days. 

Of  Mashing  or  taking  your  Liqiwrs. 

Suppose  you  take  six  bushels  of  malt  and  two  pounds  of 
hops,  and  would  make  of  it  one  barrel  cf  strong  and  t'wo 
barrels  of  small  beer  : 

Heat  your  first  copper  of  li(Juor  for  mashing,  and  strew 
over  it  a  doi.bie  handful  of  bran  or  malt,  by  which  you 
will  see  when  ir  begins  to  boil  ;  for  it  will  break  and  curl, 
and  then  it  is  fit  to  be  let  (.ff  into  the  mash-tun,  where  it 
must  remain  until  the  steam  is  quite  spent,  and  you  can 
see  vV'urface  in  it,  before  you  put  in  your  malt  ;  and  then 
yoube^in  to  mash,  stirring  it  all  the  while  you  are  putting 
in  the  malt:  but  ketp  out  about  half*a  bushel  dry,  which 
you  an  to  strew  ovt-f  the  rest,  when  you  havt-  done  stir- 
ring it,  which  will  be  a^  soon  as  you  have  well  mixed  it 
■with  the  liquor,  and  prevented  it  from  clodding. 

After  the  dry  m.alt  is  laid  on,  cover  your  mash-tun  with 
the  sr^cks  or  cloths,  to  prevent  losing  any  spirit  of  ihe  malt, 
and  let  it  so  remain  for  two  hours-  •  Meanwhile  have  ano- 
ther copper  of  liquor  hot  ;  and  at  two  hours  end  being  to 
let  off  your  first  wort  into  the  under-ba<?k.  Receive  a" 
pailful  of  the  first  running,  and  throw  it  again  upon  the 
malt.  You  will  find  that  the  malt  has  sucked  up  half  of 
your  first  copper  of  liquor  ;  and  therefore  to  make  up 
your  quantity  of  wort  for  your  strong  beer,  you  must  gradu- 
ally lade  out  of  the  second  cop»  er.  and  strew  bowl  after 
bowl  over  the  malt,  giving  it  time  to  soak  through,  and 
keeping  it  running  by  an  easy  stream,  till  you  perceive  you 
have  about  forty  galh^ns,  which  in  boiling  and  working  will 
be  reduced  to  thirtv-six. 

If  you  throw  into  the  under-back  (whilst  vou  are  letting 
oflT)  about  Iialf  a  pound  ol  hops,  it  will  preserve  it  from 
foxing,  or  growing  sour  or  ropy. 

Your  first  wort  being  all  rurt  off,  you  must  soften  the  tap 
of  the  m;ish-tun  ;  and  take  a  copper  of  hot  liquor  for  your 
second  mashing,  stirring  up  the  malt  as  you  did  at  first, 
and  then  cover  it  close  for  two  hours  more.    Meanwhile 


o08  SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

you  fill  your  copper  with  the  first  wort,  and  boil  it  with  the 
remainder  of  the  two  pounds  of  hops,  for  an  hour  and  a 
half,  an(i  then  lade  it  off  into  the  coolers. 

Contrive  to  receive  the  hops  in  a  sieve,  basket,  or  thin 
woolen  bag  that  is  swe:  t  and  clean  ;  then  inimediatf  ly  fill 
your  copper  with  cold  liquor  ;  renew  your  fire  under  it, 
and  begin  to  let  off  your  second  wort,  threw  a  handiul  of 
hops  into  the  under-back,  for  the  same  reason  as  before  : 
you  will  want  to  lade  a  few  bowls  full  of  liquor  over  the 
ir-alt  to  make  up  the  copper  full  of  stcor-d  wort ;  and  when 
you  have  enou'^h,  fasten  tlie  tap  and  mash  a  third  time 
after  the  same  manner,  ar.d  cover  it  close  for  another  two 
hours  ;  and  then  charge  your  copper  with  the  second  wort, 
boiling  it  for  an  hour  with  the  same  hops. 

Bv  this  time  you  may  shift  your  first  wort  out  of  the 
coolers  into  a  working- tun,  to  make  room  for  the  second 
wort  to  come  into  the  coolers  ;  and  then  your  co  per  be- 
ing empty,  V'  u  may  heat  Jis  much  liquor  as  v  ill  serve  you 
to  lade  over  the  malt,  or,  by  this  timej  rather  grains,  to 
make  up  your  third  and  last  copper  of  wort,  which  must 
be  bottled  with  the  same  hops  over  again  ;  and  then  youp 
coolers  are  discharged  ot  your  second  wort,  to  make  room 
for  the  third  ;  and  when  they  are  both  of  a  proper,  cool- 
ness, they  may  be  put  together  betore  you  set  them  a  work- 
ing- <y 

If  you  would  extract  almost  all  the  goodness  of  the  malt 
in  the  first  wort,  by  way  of  mak  n'g  October  beer,  you 
must  begin  to  let  off  soon  after  you  have  mashed,  (by  a 
small  stream)  and  throw  it  upon  the  malt  again  pail,  af- 
ter pail,  for  an  hour,  stirring  it  frequently  in  the  mean 
time,  and  then  let  it  all  run  c  ff,  by  a  very  small  stream. 
Bat  when  you  have  your  quantity  of  strong  beer,  ycu  must 
proceed  in  yoyr  second  mashing  as  before. 

Duriiig  the  time  of  shifting  your  liquors  out  of  the  cop- 
per, it  is  of  consequence  to  take  c.ire  to  preserve  it  from 
receiving  damage  by  burning  :  you  should  alwavs  contrive 
to  have  the  fire  low,  or  else  to  damp  it  at  the  time  of  emp- 
tying, and  be  very  expeditious  to  put  in  fresh  liquor. 

0/  Working  the  Liquor. 

In  this,  regard  must  be  had  to  the  water  ;  liquor  natu- 
rally grows  warm  in  working  ;  therefore  in  mild  weather 
it  should  be  cold  before  it  be  set  on^  but  a  little  warm  in 
cold  weather.  The  manner  of  doing  k  is,  to  put  some  good 
sweet  yeast  into  a  hand-bowl  or  piggin,  with  a  little 
warrh  wort  ;  then  put  the  hand-bowl  to  swim  upon  the 
wort  in  the  working  tun,  and  in  a  little  while  it  will  work 
out,  and  leisurely  mix  with  the  wort  ;  and  when  you  find 
the  yeast  is  gotten  hold  of  the  wort,  you  must  look  after 


SECRETS  IN  arts;  TRADES,  &c.         309 

it  frequently  ;  and  if  you  perceive  if  begins  to  heat  and 
ferment  too  fast,  lade  some  of  it  out  into  another  tub  ;  and 
when  grown  cold,  it  may  be  put  back  again  ;  or  il  you  re^ 
serve  some  of  the  raw  wort,  you  niay  check  it  leisurely,  by 
stirring  it  in  with  a  hand-bowl.  The  cooler  you  work 
your  liquor  the  better,  provided  it  does  but  work  well. 

If  you  happen  to  check  it  too  much,  you  may  forward  its 
working,  by  filhng  a  gallon  stone  bottle  with  boiling  water. 
Cork  it  close,  and  but  the  bottle  into  the  working  tun.  An 
ounce  or  two  of  powdered  ginger  willhave  the  same  effect. 

There  are  variety  of  methods  in  managing  liquors 
whilst  they  are  working.  In  the  North  they  beat  the 
yeast  of  Strong  Beer  and  Ale  once  in  two  or  three  hours, 
for  two  or  three  days  together- 

This  they  reckon  makes  the  drink  more  heady,  but 
withal  hardens  it  so  as  to  be  drinkable  in  two  or  three  days; 
the  last  day  of  beating  it  in,  (stirring  the  yeast  and  beer 
together)  the  yeast,  as  it  rises,  will  thicken  ;  and  then 
they  take  off  part  of  the  yeast,  and  beat  in  the  rest,  which 
they  repeat  as  often  as  it  rises  thick  ;  and  when  it  has 
done  working,  they  tun  it  up,  so  as  it  may  just  work  out 
of  the  barrel. 

Others  again  do  not  beat  it  in  at  all,  but  let  their  strong 
drink  work  about  twodajs.or  till  they  see  the  ferment  is 
over;  and  tht  n  they  take  off  the  top  yeast,  and  either  by  a 
tapnear  the  bottom,  let  it  offline,  or  else  laid  it  out  gently, 
to  leave  the  sediment  and  yeast  at  the  bottom.  This  way 
is  proper  for  liquor  that  is  to  be  drank  soon;  but  if  it  be 
to  keep,  it  will  want  the  sediment  to  teed  upon,  and  may 
probably  grow  stale,  unles.syou  make  artificial  lees  :  This 
you  may  make  of  a  quart  of  brandy,  and  as  much  flour 
of  wheat  or  beans  as  will  make  it  into  dough  ;  put  them  in 
lumps  into  the  bunghule  as  soon  as  it  has  done  working. 
Or  else  take  a  pound  of  the  powder  of  oystei-shells,  or  of 
fat  ch  ilk,  and  nnx  it  with  a  pound  of  treacle  or  hcney,  and 
put  it  in  soon  after  it  has  done  working. 

It  would  add  to  the  goodness,  as  well  as  fining  of  your 
malt  liquor,  if  you  took  two  quarts  of  wheat  or  beans,  and 
make  them  very  dry  and  crisp  in  an  oven,  or  before  the 
fire,  and  boil  them  in  your  first  copper  of  wort.  They 
v/ould  strain  off  with  your  hops,  and  might  be  put  with 
them  into  the  second  copper. 

Of  the  fining  of  Malt  Liquors. 

It  is  most  desirable  to  have  beer  fine  of  itself,  which  it 
seldom  fails  to  do  in  due  time,  if  rightly  brewed  and  work- 
ed ;  but  as  disappointments  some  times  happen,  it  will  b^ 
necessary  to  know  what  to  do  in  such  cases, 

Dd2 


310         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES;  &c. 

Ivory  shavings  boiled  in  your  wort,  or  hartshorn  shav- 
vings  put  into  your  cask  just  before  you  bung  it  down,  will 
•do  nnuch  towards  fining  and  keeping  your  liquor  trom 
growing  stale. 

Isingla-s  is  the  most  common  thing  made  use  of  in  fining 
all  sorts  of  liquors  ;  they  first  beat  it  well  with  a  hammer 
or  mallet,  and  lay  it  in  a  pail,  and  then  draw  off  about  two 
gallons  of  the  liquor  to  be  fined  upon  it,  and  let  it  soak  two 
or  three  days  ;  and  when  it  is  soft  enough  to  mix  with  the 
liquor,  they  take  a  wisk,  and  stir  it  about  till  it  is  all  of  a 
ferment,  and  white  froth  ;  and  they  frequently  add  the 
whites  and  shells  of  about  a  doze-n  evrgs,  which  they  beat 
in  with  it,  and  put  all  together  into  the  cask  :  then  with  a 
clean  mop-stick,"  or  some  such  thing,  stir  the  whole  to- 
gether ;  atid  then  lay  a  cloth,  or  piece  of  paper  over  the 
bung-hole,  till  the  ferment  is  over  ;  and  then  bung  it  up 
close,  in  a  few  days  it  will  tall  fine. 

But  if  you  want  to  fine  only  a  small  quantity,  take  half 
an  ounce  of  unslack-d  lime,  and  put  it  into  a  pint  of  water, 
and  stir  it  well  together,  and  let  it  stand  for  two  or  three 
Ijours,  or  till  the  lime  settle  to  thtr  b^  Uom  ;  then  pour  the 
water  off  clear,  and  throw  away  the  sediment ;  then  take 
half  an  ounce  of  isinglass  cut  small,  and  boil  it  in  the  lime 
water  till  it  dissolves;  then  let  it  cool,  and  pour  it  into  the 
vessel,  &c. 

Of  recovering  and  preserving  Malt  Liquors. 

Stormy  weather,  but  especially  thunder,  will  greatly 
affect  your  beer,  and  often  ferments  it,  thoy^h  brewed  six 
munths.bt  fore  In  such  we  ather  you  shculci  examine  your 
cellar,  and  draw  your  veftt  pegs ;  and  where  you  perceive 
it  upon  the  fret,  draw  out  the  bung,  and  let  it  remain 
some  days  till  you  are  sure  it  is  quiet.  Tis  a  fault  to  be 
loo  hasty  in  bunging  up  liquor  ;  it  had  better  be  a  weak 
too  lug  out,  than  stop  an  hour  too  soon.  Were  it  not  for 
preifcrvini^  th'  colour  of  the  liq^ior,  seme  cherry  brandy 
thrown  into  iht-  bung-hole  would  stop  it  from  fetting. 

If  your  strong  beer  grows  flat  you  may  quicken  it  by 
drawirg  off  one  liallo.i  of  every  ten,  and  boil  it  with  as 
many  pounds  of  honey,  as  you  boil  gallons  ;  and  when  it  is 
cold,  put  it  to  the  rest  and  stop  it  close. 

A  spoonful  cf  tne  juice  of  the  herb  horehound,  strained 
into  a'piichcr  of  stale  beer,  (and  cover  it  close  for  two 
hours,)  will  make  it  drink  like  new. 

Or,  if  )  ou  would  bottle  beer  that  is  stale  and  l^at,  you 
should  contrive  to  do  it  when  you  have  liquor  working  in 
your  tun  ;  and  leave  room  in  every  bottle  to  hold  the  quan- 
tity of  a  coffee  cup,  and  fill  them  up  with  new  drink  out 
of  the  tun,  and  cork  them,  and  in  three  daysit  will  bo 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         311 

very  brisk,  and  drink  pleasant ;  but  you  must  not  propose 
to  keep  it  long,  for  it  will  burst  the  bottles. 

Of  the  Season  for  BrenviTtg. 

The  season  for  brewing  keeping  beer  is  certainly  best 
before  Christmas,  for  then. your  nrialt  is  in  perfection,  not 
having  time  to  contract  either  a  musty  smell,  dust  or  wea- 
vels,  (an  insect  that  eats  out  the  heart  of  the  m^lt)  and 
the  waters  are  then  seldom  mixed  with  snow  ;  and  then 
four  pounds  of  hops  will  ^o  as  tar  as  five  in  the  spring  of 
the  year  :  for  you  must  increase  in  the  quantity  of  hops 
as  you  draw  towards  sumnier.  But,  in  short,  chu«e  mode- 
rate weather  as  much  as  you  can  for  brewing,  and  if  you 
have  of  kindly  cellar  besides  to  keep  your  liquor  in,  that 
■will  not  be  much  aff.cted  by  extremity  of  heat  or  cold, 
you  nriay  reasonably  expect  great  satisfaction  in  your 
brewery. 

Avoid  as  much  as  possible  brewing  in  hot  weather  ;  but 
if  you  are  necessitated  to  brew,  make  no  more  than  for 
present  drinking,  for  it  will  not  keep. 

To  make  Elderberry- Beer ^  or  Ebulum, 

Take  a  hogshead  of  the  first  and  strong  wort,  and  boil 
in  the  same  one  bushel  of  picked  Elderberries,  full  ripe  ; 
strain  off,  and  when  cOld,  work  the  liquor  in  the  hogshead, 
and  not  m  an  open  tun  or  tub ;  and  after  it  has  lain  in  the 
cask  about  a  year,  bottle  it ;  and  it  will  be  a  most  rich 
drink,  which  they  call  Ebulum  ;  and  has  often  been  pre- 
ferred to  port-wine,  for  its  pleasant  taste,  and  healthtul 
quality. 

N.  B.  There  is  no  occasion  for  the  use  of  sugar  in  this 
operation  ;  because  the  wort  has  strength  and  sweetness 
enough  in  itself  to  answer  that  end  ;  but  tht-re  should  be 
an  infusion  of  heps  added  to  the  liquor,  by  way  of  preser- 
vation and  relish. 

Some  likewise  hang  a  small  bag  of  bruised  spices  in  the 
vessel.  Ynu  may  make  a  white  Ebulum  with  pale  malt, 
and  white  Elderberries. 

To  make  improved  and  excellent  wholesome  Purl. 

Take  Roman  wormwood  two  dozen,  gention-root  six 
pounds  :  calamas  aromaticus  (or  the  s^veet  flag  root)  two 
pountls  :  a  pound  or  two  f  galien-g^le-root ;  horseraddish 
one  bunch  ;  orange  peel  dried,  and  juniper-berries,  each 
two  pounds ;  seeds  or  kernals  of  sevelle  oranges  cleaned 
antldryed,  two  pounds 

These  bein<  cut  and  bruised,  put  them  into  a  clean 
butt,  and  start  your  mild  brown,  or  pale  beer  upon  them. 


312         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &C. 

so  as  to  fill  up  the  vessel,  about  tHe  beginning  of  Novem- 
ber, and  letifstand  till  the  next  season  ;  and  make  it, 
thus  annually. 

To  brew  Strong  Beer. 

To  a  barrel  of  beer  take  two  bushels  of  wheat  just 
cracked  in  the  mill,  and  some  of  the  flour  sifted  out  of  it ; 
when  yx)ur  water  is  scalding  hot,  putit  into  your  mash-vat, 
there  let  it  stand  till  you  can  see  your' face  in  it;  then 
put  your  wheat  upon  that,  and  do  not  stir  it  ;  let  it  stand 
two  hours  and  a  half;  then  let  it  run  into  a  tub  that  has 
two  pounds  of  hops  in  it,  and  a  handtul  of  rosemary  fl.jw- 
ers  ;  and  when  it  is  all  run,  put  it  into  the  copper,  and  boil 
it  two  hours  ;  then  strain  it  off,  setting  it  a  cooling  very  thin, 
and  setting  it  a  working  very  cool  ;  clear  it  very  well  be- 
fore you  put  it  a  working  ;  put  a  little  yeast  to  it  ;  when 
the  yeast  begins  to  foil,  put  it  into  your  vessel,  put  in  a 
pint  of  whole  wheat,  and  six  eggs  :  then  stop  it :  Let  it 
stand  a  year,  and  then  bottle  it. 

A  good  Table-Beer  may  be  made,  by  mashing  again,  af- 
ter the  preceding  is  drawn  off;  then  let  it  stand  two  hours, 
and  let  that  run,  and  mash  again,  and  stir  it  as  before  ; 
be  sure  to  cover  your  mashing-vat  well ;  mix  the  first  and 
second  running  together. 

To  make  China  Ale. 

To  six  gallons  of  Ale,  take  a  quarter  of  a  pound  or  more 
of  china  root,  thin  sliced,  and  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of 
coriander  seeds,  bruistd ;  hang  tiiese  in  a  tiffany,  or 
coarse  linen  bag,  in  the  vessel,  till  it  has  done  working  ; 
and  let  it  stand  fourteen  days  before  you  bottle  ;  though 
the  common  sort  vended  about  town,  is  nothing  more  at 
best  th'-ui  ten  shilling  beer,  put  up  in  small  bottles,  with  a 
little  spices,  lemon-peel  and  sugar. 

To  make   Ale^  or  any  other  liquor,   that  is  too  new,  or 
sweet,  drink  stale. 

To  do  this  to  the  advantage  of  health,  put  to  every 
quart  of  Ale,  or  other  liquor,  ten  or  twelve  drops  of  the 
true  spirit  of  salt,  and  let  them  be  well  mixed  together, 
which  they  will  soon  do  it  by  the  subtle  spirits  penetrating 
into  all  parts,  and  have  their  proper  effect. 

To  recover  sour  Ale- 

Scrape  fine  chalk  a  pound,  or  as  the  quantity  of  liquor, 
requires,  more  ;  pat  it  into  a  thin  bag  into  the  Ale. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.  31; 


To  recover  liquor  that  is  turned  bad. 

If  any  liquor  be  pricked  or  fading,  put  to  it  a  little  syrup 
of  clay,  and  let  it  lermet^..with  a  little  balm,  which  will 
recover  it  ;  and  when  it  is 'wfefcii  settled,  bottle  it  up,  put  in 
a  clove  or  two,  with  a  lunrjp  of  loaf  sugar- 

Directions  for  Bottling. 

You  must  have  firnn  corks,  boiled  in  wort,  or  grounds  of 
beer  ;  fill  within  an  inch  of  the  cork's  reach,  and  beat  it 
in  with  a  m-iUet;  then,  with  a  small  brass  wire,  bind  the 
neck  of  the  bottle,  britig  up  the  ends,  and  twist  them  over 
with  a  pair  of  pinchers.  • 

To  make  a  quarter  of  a  hogshead  q/  jile,  and  a  hogshead 
of  Beer  y  ofcoaked  malt. 

Take  five  strike  of  malt  not  ground  too  small  :  put  in 
some  boiling  water,  to  cover  the  bottom  of  your  mashing- 
vat.  be^brt  you  put  in  youriT;alt  :  mash  it  with  more  bod- 
ing water,  putting  in  your  malt  at  several  tinies,  that  it  may 
be  sure  to  be  all  wet  alike,  cover  it  with  a  peck  of  wheat 
bran  ;  then  let  it  stand  thus  mashed  four  hourj>  then  draw 
off  three  gallons  of  wort,  and  pour  it  upon  that  you  have 
mashed  ;  so  let  it  stand  half  an  hour  m' re,  till  it  runs  clear 
tht-n  draw  off  dl  that  will  run,  and  take  two  quarts  of  it 
to  begin  to  v.ork  up  wiih  the  balm,  which  n  ust  be  sbout 
a  pint  and  a  half  ;  put  in  the  two  quarts  of  wort  at  three 
times  to  the  balm  ;  you  need  not  stir  it  till  you  begin  to  put 
in  the  boiled  wort. 

You  will  not  have  enough  to  fill  your  vessel  at  first  ; 
wherefore  you  must  pour  on  more  boiling  water,  immedi- 
ately after  the  other  has  done  running,  till  \  ou  have  enough 
to  fill  a  quarter  of  a  hogshead  ;  and  then  pour  on  water 
for  a  hogshead  ot  beer. 

As  soon  as  the  ale  wort  has  run  off  put  a  third  part  into 
the  boiler  :  when  it  boils  up.  take  cff  the  scum,  uhich  you 
may  put  upon  the  grains  for  the  sniall  beer  :  when  it  is 
skummed,  put  in  a  pound  and  a  half  ot  heps,  having  first 
sifted  out  the  seeds,  then  put  m  all  the  wort,  and  let  jtboil 
two  hours  and  a  half,  afterwards  strain  into  two  coolersj 
and  let  it  stand  to  cool  and  settle,  then  put  it  to  cool  a 
little  at  a  time,  to  the  balm,  and  two  quarts  of  wort,  and 
beat  it  well  together  :  every  time  you  put  the  wort  in,  be 
sure  you  keep  the  settling  out 

Suppose  you  brew  early  on  Thursday  morning,  you  may 
tun  it  at  nine  or  ten  on  Saturday  morning. 

Do  not  fill  your  vessel  quite  full,  but  keep  about  three 


314         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

gallons  fo  put  in,  when  it  has  worked  twenty-four  hoursj 
which  will  make  it  work  again.?j 

As  soon  as  it  hath  done  working,  stoptit  up  ;  put  the 
drink  as  cool  as  5^ou  can  together,  dius  it  will  work  well. 

To  make  Treacle- Beer. 

Boil  two  quarts  of  water,  put  into  it  one  pound  of  treacle 
or  molasses,  stir  them  together  till  they  are  well  mixed; 
then  put  SIX  or  eight  quarts  of  cold  water  to  it,  and  about 
a  tea  cup  full  of  yeast  or  balm,  put  it  up  in  a  clean  cask  or 
stein,  cover  it  over  with  a  coarse  cloth,  two  or  three  times 
double,  it  will  be  fit  to  drink  in  two  or  three  days. 

The  second  and  third  time  of  making,  the  bottom  of  the 
first  Beer  will  do  instead  of  yeast. 

If  you  make  a  larijje  quantity,  or  intend  it  for  keeping, 
you  must  put  in  a  handful  of  hops  and  another  of  maltj.for 
it  to  feed  on,  and  when  done  working,  stop  it  up  close. 

The  above  is  the  best  and  ch^-npesi  way  of  making 
treacle  Beer,  though  some  people  add  raisins,  bran,  worm- 
wood, spices,  suclf  Fruit,  &c.  as  are  in  season,  but  that 
is  just  as  you  fancy. 

Indeed  many  pleasant,  cheap,  and  wholesome  drinks 
may  be  made  from  Fruits,  &c-  if  they  are  bruised  and 
boiled  in  water,  before  the  Treacle  is  added. 


ON  TANNING. 


fl^ANNING  is  the  art  of  converting  the  raw  skins  of 
J.  animals,  into  leather.  As  the  methods  of  tanning  in 
general  use  have  been  iound  tedious  and  expensive  in  their 
operation,  various  schemes,  at  different  times,  have  been 
suggested  to  shorten  the  process  and  lessen  the  expence. 

Much  light  has  been  thrown  bv  moilern  chemists  upon 
the  theory  of  Tanning.  M  Seguin,  in  France  has  particu- 
larly distinguished  himse-lt  by  his  researches  on  this  sub- 
ject, and  much  improved  the  art  in  his  country. 

A  few  years  since  VV.  Lesinond  obtained  a  patent  for 
practising  Sequins  method  in  Ens^land.  He  obtained  the 
Tanning  principle  by  digesting  oak  burk,  or  other  proper 
materials,  in  cold  water,  in  an  apparatus  nearly  similar  to 
that  used  in  the  salt-petre  works  That  is  to  say,  the  wa- 
ter which  has  remained  upon  the  powdertd  bark  a  cer- 
tain time  in  one  vessel,  is  drawn  off  by  a  cock,  and  pour- 
ed upon  fresh  tan-  This  is  again  to  be  drawn  off.  and  pour- 
ed upon  fresh  tan  ;  and  in  this  way  the  process  to  be  con- 
tinued to  the  fifth  vessel.  The  liquor  is  then  highly  colour- 
ed, and  marks  from  six  to  eight  degrees  upon  the  hydro- 
meter tor  salts.  This  he  calls  the  tanning  lixivium.  The 
criterion  for  ascertaining  its  strength,  is  the  quantity  of  the 
solution  o? gelatine  whicli  a  given  quantity  of  it  will  preci- 
pitate. Isinglass  is  used  for  this  purpose,  being  entirely 
composed  of  galatine.  And  here  it  may  be  observed,  that 
this  is  the  mode  of  ascertaining  the  quantity  of  tanning 
principle  in  any  vegetable  substance,  and  consequently 
how  far  they  may  be  used  as  a  substitute  for  oak  bark. 

The  iiides,  after  being  prepared  in  the  usual  way,  are 
immersed  for  some  hours,  in  a  weak  tanning  lixivium  of 
only  one  or  two  degrees  :  to  obtain  which  the  latter  por- 
tions of  the  infusions  are  set  apart,  or  else  some  of  that 
which  has  been  partly  exhausted  by  use  in  tanning.  The 
bids  are  then  tobe  put  into  a  stronger  lixivium,  where,  in 
a  few  days,  they  will  be  brought  to  the  same  degree  of 
saturation  with  the  liquor  in  which  they  are  immersed. 
When  the  hides  are  by  this  Oieans  completely  saturated, 
that  is  to  say,  perftctly  tanned,  thvy  are  to  be  removed, 
and  slowly  dried  in  the  shade. 

The  length  of  time  necessary  to  tan  leather  completely, 
according  to  the  old  process.is  a  very  great  inconvenience; 
and  there  is  no  doubt  that  it  may  be  much  shortened  by 
following  the  new  method.  It  has  been  found,  however, 
that  the  hather  so  tanned,  has  nor  been  so  durable  as  that 
which  has  been  formed  by  a  slower  process. 


316         SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c. 

The  public  is  much  indebted  to  Mr.  Davy,  professor  of 
chemistry  in  the  Royal  Institution,  for  the  attention  hehas 
paid  to  the  subject.  From  his  excellent  paper  *'  on  the 
constitutent  parts  of  astringent  vegetables,"  in  the  philo- 
sophical transactions,  we  present  the  reader  with  the  fol- 
lowing extract : 

*'  The  different  qualities  of  leather  nnade  with  the 
sanne  kind  of  skin,  seem  to  depend  verv  m  ich  upon  the 
different  quantities  of  extractive  matter  t  c  ntains.  The 
leather  obtained  bv  means  of  an  infusion  wf  kjalls,  is  gene- 
rally found  harder,  and  more  liable  to  crack,  than  the  lea- 
ther obtained  from  an  infusion  of  bark-;  and  in  allcnsesit 
contains  a  much  larger  proportion  of  tannin,  and  a  small- 
er proportion  of  extractive  matter. 

"  When  skins  are  very  slowly  tanned  in  weak  solutions 
of  the  barks,  or  of  catechu,  it  combines  with  a  considera- 
ble proportion  of  extractive  matter  ;  and  in  these  cases, 
though  the  increase  of  weight  of  the  skin  is  comparative- 
ly small,  yet  it  is  rendered  perfectly  insoluble  in  water, 
and  is  found  soft,  and  at  the  same  tisne  strong.  The  sa- 
turated astrmgent  infusions  of  bark  contain  much  less  of 
extractive  matter  in  proportion  to  the  taimin,  than  the 
weak  infusions  ;  and  when  skins  are  quickly  tanned  in 
them,  common  experitnce  shews  that  it  produces  leather 
less  durable  than  the  leather  slowly  formed. 

*•  Besides,  in  the  cise  of  qjick  tanning  by  mgans  of  in- 
fusions of  bark,  a  quantity  ot  vegetable  extractive  matter 
is  lost  to  the  manufacturer,  which  might  have  been  made 
to  enter  into  the  composition  of  his  leather  b>  a  slower 
process.  These  observations  shew,  that  there  is  some 
foundation  for  the  common  opinion  of  workmen,  concern- 
ing what  is  called  in  technical  language,  the  feeding  of  lea- 
ther in  the  slow  method  of  tanning  ;  and  though  the  pro- 
cesses of  the  art  may,  in  some  cases,  be  protracted  for  an 
unnecessary  length  of  time,  yet,  in  general,  they  appear 
to  have,  by  means  of  repeated  practical  experiments,  ar- 
rived at  a  degree  of  perfection  which  cannot  be  very  far 
extended  by  means  of  any  elucidations  of  theory  that  have 
as  yet  been  known.'* 

It  was  first  suspected  by  Sir  Joseph  Banks,  and  after- 
wards confirmed  by  the  experiments  of  professor   Davy 
that  a  substance  called  catechu  or  terra-japonica,  brought 
from  the  East  indies,  contained  a  vast  quantity  of  tannin  ; 
so  much  so,  that  It  far  excels  every  other  known  substance 
in  this  respect.    One  pound  of  catechu  contains  as  much 
tannin  as  eight  or  ten  pounds  of  oak  bark,  and  would  con- 
.     sequently  tan  proportionately  as  much  more  leather-     It 
*S  js  an  extract  made  from  the  wood  of  a  species  of  mimosa. 
e^^by  decoction  and  subsequent  evaporation- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS,  TRADES,  &c.         139 

Oak  bark  being  a  very  expensive  article  in  the  process 
of  tanning,  various  substances  have  been  propos»ed  as  sub- 
stitutes for  it.  All  the  parts  of  vegetables  which  aie  of  an 
astringent  nature,  contain  lannin  (which  maybe  known  by 
their  given  precipitates  with  gelatine*  insoluble  in  water,) 
and  will  answer  this  purpose.  The  leaves,  branches,  fruit, 
flowers,  of  a  vast  number  of  plants  ;  every  part  of  the 
oak,  as  the  leaves  and  acorns,  oak  saw-dust.and  the  barks 
of  most  trees  contain  more  or  less  of  tannin. 

Of  Currying. 

Currying  is  the  art  of  dressing  cow-hides,  calves-skins, 
&c.  The  principal  object  in  this  process,  is  to  soften  and 
suple  cow  and  calf- skins,  which  are  usually  employed  in 
making  the  upper-leathers  of  shoes  and  boots,  the^covers 
of  saddles,  coaches,  &c.  As  soon  as  these  skins  are 
brought  from  the  tanner's  yard  the  currier  first  soaks 
them  for  some  time  in  common  water,  when  he  takes  them 
out,  stretches  them  on  a  smooth  wooden  horse,  scrapes  off 
■with  a  paring-knife  all  the  superfluous  flesh,  and  immerses 
them  again.  They  are  next  put  on  a  wet  hurdle,  and 
trampled  with  the  heels  till  they  become  soft  and  pliant, 
■when  they  are  steeped  in  train-oil,  and  afterwards  spread 
out  on  large  tables,  and  their  ends  tightly  secured.  Then 
by  means  of  a  pummel  (an  instrument  consisting  of  a  thick 
piece  of  wood,  the  lower  side  of  which  is  full  of  furrows 
or  teeth,  crossing  each  other,)  the  currier  folds,  squares, 
and  moves  the  skins  in  various  directions  to  render  them 
supple.  This  operation  is  properly  called  currying  ;  and, 
with  a  few  immaterial  exceptions,  is  that  now  generally 
followed. 

After  the  skins  are  thus  dressed,  they  are  coloured, 
black,  white,  red,  green,  ^;c.  which  process  is  performed 
either  on  the  flesh  or  grain  side.  When  a  skin  is  to  be 
made  white,  rub  it  with  chalk,  or  white-lead,  and  after- 
wards with  pumice  stone.  But  when  a  black  colour  is 
"wanted,  the  skin  must  be  first  oiled  and  dried,  then  passed 
over  a  pufF,  dipped  in  water  impregnated  with  iron,  when 
it  is  immersed  in  another  water  prepared  with  soot,  vine- 
gar, and  gum-arabic.  Thus  it  gradually  acquires  a  deep 
dye,  and  the  operations  are  repeated  till  it  becomes  of  a 
shining  black.  The  grain  and  wrinkles  which  contribute 
to  the  pliancy  of  calves  and  cows  leather,  are  made  by  the 
reiterated  folds  given  to  the  skin  in  every  direction,  and 
by  the  great  care  taken  to  scrape  off  every  excrescence 
and  hard  place  on  both  the  grain  and  flesh  sides. 


Ee 


INDEX. 


CHAP.    I. 

OF  THE  ART  OF  ENGRAVING. 

Art.  Page 

1.  A     wax  to  lay  oa  iron  or  steel            ...  5 

2.  /\  A  mordant  water  to  engrave  on  steel     .             .  ib, 

3.  To  engrave  with  aquafortis,  so  that  the  work  may  ap- 

pear like  a  basso  relievo         .            .             .            .  6 

4.  Aquafortis  for  engraving           .             .             .             .  ib. 

5.  To  engraje  on  brass,  or  copper  with  aquafortis          .  7 

6.  To  engrave  prints  by  aquafortis          .             .             .  ib. 

7.  The  method  of  engraving  with  aquafortis        .             .  ib. 

8.  To  engrave  on  wood                 .             ...             .    •  9 

9.  To^engrave  on  copper  with  the  graver           .  10 

CHAP.    II. 

OF  METALS. 

1.  Transmutation  of  iron  into  the  finest  German  steel    .  11 

2.  To  I'efine  pewter          .....  ib. 

3.  Method  of  tempering  edge  tools  that  are  of  two  brittle 

a  quality         ....,',  ib. 

4.  To  make  pewter          .....  ib. 

5.  To  make  pinchbeck      .....  ib. 

6.  On  zinc,  or  spelter,  and  its  various  uses           .             .  12 

7.  To  make  blue  letters  on  polished  sword  blades           .  ib. 

8.  Method  of  giving  a  lustre  to  silver       .             .             ■  ib. 

9.  To  extract  mercury  from  lead              .             .             .  ib. 

10.  To  preserve  the  brightness  of  arms                .            .  13 

11.  To  operate  the  transmutation  of  iron  into  steel          .  ib. 

12.  Anodier  receipt  for  the  same              .             .             •  ib. 

13.  To  give  iron  a  temper  to  cut  porphyry           .            .  1^ 

14.  To  soften  all  sorts  of  metals    .            .            ,             .  ib. 

15.  A  very  hard  temper  for  arms               .             .             •  ib. 

16.  Ingredients  which  serve  to  tlie  melting  of  iron            .  15 

17.  To  refine  pewter          .....  ib. 

18.  To  fix  mercury             .             .             .             .  •          .  ib. 

19.  To  extract  mercury  from  lead            .            .            .  ib. 

20.  The  composition  of  raetalic  mirrors,  or  looking-glasses 

used  among  the  ancients        .             .             .             .  ib. 

21.  To  give  tools  such  a  temper,  as  will  enable  them  to  saw 

marble            .            .          •  .            .            •            •  16 

22.  To  soften  iron,  and  harden  it  afterwards  more  than  it 

was  before      ......  ih. 

23.  Tlie  transmutation  of  iron  into  damask  steel             .  17 

24.  To  guard  iron  against  rusting               .             .             .  ib. 

25.  To  cut  pebbles  with  ease          ,            .            .            .  ib. 

26.  A  projection  on  copper            .            .            .            .  ib. 

27.  The  preparation  of  eraerj-       .             .            .             .  ib. 

28.  To  dye  in  gold,  silver  medals,  or  larainas,  through  and 

through          .            .            ....  18 


NDEX. 

Art 

29.  To  solder  iron,  or  any  other  metal  without  fire 

30.  To  solder  with  fire         ..... 

31.  To  make  borax 

3'2.  To  render  iron  as  white  and  beautiful  as  silver 
3a  To  calcine  pewter,  and  render  it  as  white  and  hard  as 
silver  .  . 

34.  To  whiten  brass  .  .  .  .  • 

35.  To  extract  gold  from  silver       .... 

CHAP.    m. 


Pag© 
10 

'  ib. 
ib. 

20 

ib. 
ib. 
ib. 


OF  THE  COMPOSITION  OF  VARNISHES^  &c. 

I .  A  gold  varnish   ~  .  •  •  • .  ' 

-  2.  How  to  prepai-e  the  lintseed  oil  with  the  hepatica  aloes 

for  the  above  puipose  .  .  . 

3.  How  to  draw  the  tincture  of  rocou  used  in  the  compo- 

sition of  the  above  varnish 

4.  A  varnisii  for  icing         .... 

5.  An  excellent  varnish      .  .  .  ., 

6.  For  colouring  and  preserving  gates,  poles,  barns,  8cc. 

7.  A  leil  varnish  .... 

8.  A  black  varnish  .  .  .  . 

9.  T%  make  ivoiy  black  for  the  above  purpose     . 

10.  A  varnisii  for  floors         .  .  •  .  . 

11.  A  varnish  fron.  Flanders 

12.  A  varnish  to  lay  o\  canvass  sashes 

13.  A  varnish  of  siiell-lac  for  pictures 

14.  Another  varnish  for  pictures 

15.  Another  sort       ..... 

16.  The  Chinese  varnish       .... 

17.  To  imitate  lasper,  or  variegated  black  marble 

18.  Another  way      ..... 
J 9.  An  excellent  varnish  to  give  a  fine  gloss  to  jasper  6r 

variegated  black  marble 
20    A  varnish  which  dries  in  two  hours  time 

21.  A  varnish  for  copperplate  prints 

22.  An  admirable  varnish 

23.  A  Varnish  fit  to  lay  on  all  sorts  of  colours 

24.  A  Varnish  known  under  the  appellation  of  Beaumeblanc, 

or  white  balm  .  ,  .  • 

25.  A  varnish  to  be  used  on  plaister,  and  any  other  sort  of 

materials         .  .  .  y 

26.  An    excellent  varnish,  in  which  may  be  put  and  d 

ted,   wliatever  colours   you   like.— It  suits   equally 
well,  goldsmith's  and  liinners. 

27.  A  Chinese  varnish  suitable  to  all  sorts  of  colours 

28.  Chinese  varnish,  more  particularly  calculated  for  mmi 

ature  painting  .  .  .  . 

29.  How  to  make  a  red,  with  a  varnish  of  a  much  higher 

hue  than  coral  itself 
30    To  make  it  gridlin  colour 

31.  To  make  it  green  .... 

32.  Another  way  for  the  same 
23.  To  make  it  vellow 


21 

22 

ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
23 
ib. 
ib. 
24 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
25 
ib, 

ib. 
ib. 
26 
ib. 
ib. 

ib. 

27 


IXDEX. 

Art 

:54.  To  make  it  blue  .  .  .  . 

.'35.  Another  sort  of  varnisli  .... 

35.  A  transparent  varnkh  fit  for  aU  sorts  of  colours 

37.  To  make  sashes  with  cloth,  which  will  be  very  trans- 
parent .  .  .  .  ,  , 

■38.  The  varnish  fit  for  the  above  sashes     . 

39.  A  fine  white  varnish       ..... 

•iO.  A  varnish  to  p  event  the  rays  of  the  sun  from  passing 
through  the  panes  of  window  glasses 

il.  To  raibe  a  rehefou  varnish         .... 

42.  To  render  silk  stuffs  transparent,  after  the  Chinese 
manner  ;  and  paait  them  with  transparent  colours 
likewise,  iu  imitation  of  the  india  manufactured 
silks  ....... 

iS.  To  make  a  ti-ansparent  blue  hue  for  the  above  purpose 

4-4.  To  make  a  transparent  yellow  hue  for  the  same  use    . 

45.  To  make  a  transparent  green 

45.  To  give  the  abovementioned  painted  silks>  all  the  smell 
and  fragraiicy  of  the  india  ones 

AT.  The  true  receipt  of  ihe  Englisli  varnish,  such  as  is  laid 
on  Pticks  and  artificial  mnde  canes 

48.  A  firie  varnish  for  all  soils  of  colours 

49.  A  varnish  to  lay  on  after  the  isinglkss  .  .    ' 

50.  A  varnish  to  gid  with,  without  gold      . 

51.  A  vi-.riiish  water  proof  .... 

52.  Callot's  varnish  mentioned  in  chap.  I.  p.  5, 

53.  A  varnish  to  lay  on  paper 

54.  Another  varni'h  ..... 

55.  L'Abbe  Mulot's  varnish  .... 

56.  A  varnish  to  Iny  over  plaister-works  or  figures 

ff7.  A  very  fine  red  varnish  .... 

58.  A  varnish  to  gild  certain  parts  of  stamped  leathers,   sil- 

vered in  some  places  with  pewter  leaves,  and  other- 
wise adorned  with  running  stalks  of  flowers,  various 
colours,  figures,  and  other  sorts  of  embellishments 

59.  An  excellent  varnish     .  .  . 

CO.  A  curious  and  easy  varnish  to  engrave  with  aquafortis 

61.  A  most  beautiful  Chinese  varnish  .  .  . 

62.  A  varnish  to  render  tranparent  the  impression  of  a  print 

which  has  been  glued  on  glass,  and  the  paper  scratch- 
ed off  ...... 

03.  The  varnish  fit  for  bronzing 


Page 
28 
ib. 
ib. 

29 
ib. 
ib. 

30 
ib. 


10, 

31 
ib. 
ib. 

ib. 

32 
ib. 
33 
ib. 
ib. 
34 
35 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 


ib. 


CHAP.    IV. 

OF  MA.STICHS,  CEMENTS,  SEALING  WAX,  &c. 


1.  A  substile  mastich  to  mend  all  sorts  of  broken  vessels 

2.  A  mastich  for  broken  wares     . 

3.  Another  mastich  .... 

4.  A  cement  ..... 

5.  A  glue  to  lay  upon  gold 

6.  A  size  ..... 
7^:  An  exceeding  good  size,  called  Orleans  size 


INDEX 

Art. 

8.  A  cement  foi'  delph  and  other  earthern  v/ares,  which  re- 

sists water      .   .       "  • 

9.  A  cold  cement  for  cisterns  and  fountains 

10.  A  lute  to  join  broken  vessels      . 

11.  A  strong  glue  with  soft  cheese 

12.  To  make  a  strong  mastich 

13.  Sealing  wax  :  Recipe  1st  ..  .  . 

14.  Another  sealing  wax  :  Recipe  2d 

15.  Another.     Recipe  3d  ... 

16.  Another.    Recipe  4th  ... 

17.  Another.     Recipe  5th 

18.  Another.    Recipe  6th 

19.  Another.    Recipe  7th    Excessively  good 

20.  Another.     Recipe  8th 

21.  An  excellent  sealing  wax,  by  Girardot.    Recipe  9th 

22.  A  colour  for  the  above  wax 

23.  To  make  sealing  wafers 

CHAP.  V. 


Pagt 

39 
ib. 
jb, 
40 
ib. 
'lb. 
ib. 
ib. 
41 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
42 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 


OF  GLASS  MANUFACTORY.  AND  THE  MAKING  COMPOSITIONS 
TO  IMITATE  PRECIOUS  STONES,  COMMONLY  CALLED 
FRENCH   PASTE.  * 

1.  A  cement  to  render   crystal   like  diamonds,  and  give  the 

sapphires  of  Alenson  a  hardness  to  cut  glass  with  ease  43 

2.  A  way  of  making  diamonds       .  .  .  .  ib. 

3.  To  soften  crystal,  or  any  other  coloured  stone,  so  that  you 

may  cut  it  like  cheese,  and  restore  it  afterwards  to  its 

primary  hardness       .....  ib. 

4.  Another  equally  useful  to  soften  crystal  and  steel         .  44 

5.  A  paste  which  will  procure  as  beautiful  emeralds  as  natu- 

ral ones  ......  ib. 

6.  A  composition  the  fundamental  basis  of  all  enamels    .  ib. 
.  7.  To  make  an  enamel  as  white  as  milk     ...  45 

8.  To  make  an  enamel  turquoise  colour  .  .  .  ib. 

9.  How  to  prepare  the  scories  of  copper  for  the  above  pur- 

pose ....  .  .  46. 

10.  To  make  blue  enamel    .  .  .  .  .  ib . 

11.  To  make  gi'een  enamel  ....  ib. 

12.  To  make  a  black  shining  enamel  .  .  47 

13.  To  make  an  enamel,  purple  colour   ...  ib. 

14.  Another  .  •.  .  .  .  .  ib. 

15.  A  yellow  enamel         .....  ib. 

16.  To  make  a  crystalline  matter  which  serves  as  a  basis  to 

red  coloiu'  enamels  .  .  .  .  ib/ 

17.  How  to  make  a  fine  preparation  of  Fusible  Magnesia   to 

be  employed  in  the  making  of  red  enamel  .  48 

18.  To  make  red  enamel  of  a  beautiful  ruby  hue  .  49 

19.  To  make  an  enamel,  true  Balais  ruby  colour  .  ib. 

20.  To  make  a  bright  enamel,  escarboucle  colour  .  ib. 

21.  To  make  transpareht  franaes  ...  ib. 

22.  To  make  a  frame  look  as  if  made  of  glass  .  50 
23;  A  white  paint  to  preserve  the  putty  round  the  panes  of 

gla^s  .  .  .  .  .  „  i^ 


•      50 


INDEX, 

Art. 

24.  To  clear  glass  ..... 

25.  How  to  distinguish  a  true  from  a  false  stOne 

CHAP.  VI. 

CONCERNING  COLOURS  AND  PAINTING. 
§  I.  To  paint  in  varnish  on  -wood.    (Useful  to  carriage  Painters.) 

1.  The  preparations  previous  to  the  lying  of  colours,  and  the 

general  process  observed  in  laying  them  on  it 

2.  To  make  a  black         ..... 

3.  To  make  a  blue  .  .  .  .  ' 

4.  To  make  the  Gridelin  .  .  .  ' 

§  n.     To  Paint  on  Paper. 

5.  For  the  red  .  ... 

6.  To  make  a  fine  yellow  .... 

7.  To  make  a  green 

8.  To  transfer  a  print  on  vellum,  and  then  print  it 

§  m.     Composition  for  Limners. 

9.  How  to  prepare  colours  for  limning 

10.  To  make  what  is  called  lamp-black 

11.  Another  way  of  making  black 

12.  To  make  a  blue 

13.  To  make  a  tarquid  blue 

14.  A  fine  green  for  limning 

15.  Anotherforthd  same  purpose 

16.  To  make  Sap  green,  or  blackberry  green 

17.  To  make  lake 

18.  To  make  a  liquid  lake 

19.  Another  way 

20.  For  the  vermilion         . 

21.  For  the  making  of  carmine    . 

22.  Colours  fit  for  expressing  the  various  complexions 

§  IV.     To  make  transparent  colours. 

23.  For  the  green  »  .  .  . 
524.  For  the  red                  .            .            .  . 

25.  For  the  yellow 

26.  For  the  blue  .... 

27.  Another  blue,  ver}' like  ultramarine 

28.  A  pale  red  to  paint  on  eiian: el 

29.  Process  of  making  purple  for  painting  on  enamel 
;iO.  How  to  make  a  fine  flesh  colour 
3L  A  good  way  to  make  carmine 

32.  For  an  amber  colour 

33.  The  whole  process  of  making  ultr&marine 

34.  Another  very  fine  ultramarine  .     ' 

35.  Another  secret  to  compose  a  fine  blue,  for   washing   in 

drawings,   instead  of  ultramarine,    which  is  too  dear 
^f  and  too  strong  to  be  used  for  thf<t  purpose 

36.  The  true  secret  of  making  Iris  green 


51 
ib. 
ib. 

52 


52 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 


52 
53 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
ih. 
54 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
55 


55 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
56 
ib. 
57 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
58 


ib. 

59 


INDEX. 

Art.       >  Pag«^ 

37.  To  make  a  dark  green  for  miniature  pictures,  washing  on 

paper,  or  draperies  and  terraces                 .  .  59 

38.  To  make  the  bistre  for  the  wash       .             .  .  .60 

39.  The  secret  for  a  fine  red  for  the  wash            .  .  ib. 

40.  A  secret  to  make  carmine  at  a  small  expence  .  ibi 


§  V.     Composition  of  colours  to  dye  skins  or  gloves. 

41.  A  lively  Isabel              .            .       '     .            .            .  61 

4'2.  For  a  pale  filbert  colour           ....  ib* 

43.  For  the  gold  colour                  ....  ib. 

44.  For  the  flesh  colour                 ....  ib. 

45.  For  the  straw  colour                .             .             .             .  ib. 

46.  A  fine  brown                 .             .            .             ...  ib. 

47.  To  make  a  fine  rausk  colour             .            .            .  i(}. 

48.  To  make  a  frangipane  colour               ...  62 

49.  An  olive  colour            .....  ib. 

50.  How  to  make  skins  and  gloves  take  these  dyes        .  ib. 

51.  To  varnish  a  chimney             ....  ib« 

§  VI.    To  colour  or  varnish  Copperplate  Prints^ 

52.  To  varnish  copperplate  prints  .  *  .62 

53.  How  to  colour  these  prints,  in  imitation  of  pictures  in  oil 

colours         .             .             .             .             .             .  63 

54.  A    varnish   which  suits  all   sorts   of  prints  and  pictures 

stands   water,  and  makes  the   work  appear  as   shining 

as  glass         .            .             .             .             .            .  ib. 

55.  To  make  appear  in  gold,  the  figure  of  a  print           .  64 

56.  A  curious  secret  to  make  a  print  imitate  the   psrtnling  on 

glass             .            .            .            .            .            .  ib. 

57.  The  method  of  chalking  for  those  w  ho  are  not  acquaint- 

ed with  drawing          .             .             .             .             .  65 

58.  To  prepare  a  transparent  paper  to  chalk  with  »            .  ib. 

§  Vn.    For  painting  on  glas^, 

59.  How  to  draw  on  glass     .....  66 

60.  A  colour  for  grounds  on  glass                 .            .            .  ib, 

61.  Preparations  of  lake  for  glass     .            .            .            .  67 
Ct2.  Preparation  for  the  blue  purple,  for  glass         .  ib* 

63.  Preparation  of  the  green,  for  glass       •.             .             .  ib, 

64.  Preparation  for  the  yellow  for  the  same            .            .  ib* 

65.  Preparation  of  the  white            .             .             .             .  ib* 

66.  The  proper  varnish  to  be  laid  on  glass  after  painting  ib, 

67.  How  to  paint  on  glass  without  fire        .            .            .  ib. 

^  Yin.    Preparations  of  colours  of 
crayons. 


all  sorts  for  oily  rvater,  and 


68.  An  oil  to  grind  colours  with,  when  the  works  are  much 

expossed  to  the  injuries  of  the  weather         .            .  68 

69.  To  marble  and  jasper  paper      .            .            ...  ib. 

70.  To  clean  pictures            .            ,             .             .            »  ib. 

71.  Ajiother  for  the  same  purpose             .           ^           .  ^9 


INDEX 

Art  pagt 

72.  A  secret  to  render  old  pictures  as  fine  as  new           .  69 

73.  An  oil  to  prevent  pictures  from  blackening — It  may  serve 

also  to  make  cloth  to  carry  iu  the  pocket  against  wet 

weather           ,            .            .            .            ,            .  jb. 

74.  A  wash  to  clean  pictures          .             .             .             .  ib. 

75.  A  very  curious  and  simple  way  of  preiventing  flies  from 

sitting  on  picture*,  or  any  other  furniture,  and  mak- 
ing their  dung  there  .            ,            .            .            .  ib. 

76.  To  make  indigo            .             .            .     "        ,            .  70 

77.  To  make  a  yellow         .             .             .             .             .  ib. 

78.  An  azuie  of  mother  of  pearl             .            .             .  ib. 

79.  A  wlnte  for  painters  which  may  be  preserved  for  ever  ib. 

80.  Anoilier  white  for  ladies' paint             .             .             .  ib. 

81.  A  good  azure    ......  71 

82.  An  azure  from  silver,  done  in  less  than  a  fortnight    .  ib. 

83.  To  make  an  azured  water       .             .             .             .  ib. 

84.  Another  way  of  makmg  azure             ,.             .             .  ib. 

85.  A  fine  azure     .             .             ,             .             .             .  72 

86.  Another  way    .             .....  ib. 

87.  Another  way     .             .             ,             .             .             .  ib. 

88.  To  make  an  admirable  white  lead,  fit  for  oil  painting  and 

colourmg  ot  prints      .             .             .             .             .  ib. 

89.  The  preparation  of  verdigrease           .            .             .  73 

90.  A  fine  liquid  green       ...                           .  ib. 

91.  To  -iiake  the  Stil  de-graiuy  or  broivn  pink  .            .  ib. 
9'2.  To  make  a  fine  vermilion         .            .             .            .  ih. 

93.  A  secret  to  draw  without  either  ink  or  pencil            .  ib, 

94.  To  make  an   imitation  of  enemal  on  tin,  for  chimney- 

branches,  &c.              .....  ib. 

95.  A  valuable  secret  to  make  exceeding  good  crayons,  as 

hard   as  red   clialk.     Discovered  by   Prince  Rupert, 

brother  to  Prince  Palatine-   ....  74 
90.  To  render  the  stone-cinnabar  and  verraiUon  finer,  and 

at  the  same  time  to  prevent  them  from  blackening  ib. 

97.  Process  used  in  making  Eastern  carmme       .             .  ib. 

98.  The  process  observed  in  making  the  lake       •             .  76 

99.  To  make  the  fine  coluuibine  lake         .    .         .             .  77 

100.  A  fine  red  water  for  miniature  painting          .            .  78 

101.  The  receipt  for  the  fine  Venetian  lake    .        .             .  ib. 
10-.  Directions  for  colouring  prints              ...  79 

103.  Directions  for  the  mixture  of  colours              .             .  80 

104.  Directions  for  painting  fresco               .             .             .  ib. 

105.  Directions  for  the  choice,  use,  and  composition  of  the 

colours  employed  for  the  above  purpose       .             .  81 

106.  Directions  for  painting  in  oil  on  a  wall.    Method  1   .  82 

107.  Method  2          .            .            .            .         '  .            .  83 

108.  Method  3          ......  ib: 

109.  Directions  for  painting  in  oil  on  wood              .             .  ib. 

110.  Directions  for  painting  in  oil, on  canvass          .             .  ib. 

111.  Which  colours  are  used  for  the  above  purpose            .  85-* 

112.  Which  oils  are  used  in  painting          ...  86 

113.  To  take  off  instantly  a  copy  from  a  print  or  a  picture  87 

114.  Directions  for  making  the  Spanish  carnation             .  ib. 

115.  To  make  the  Spanish  ladies  rouge       .            .            .  ib, 
11^.  A  fine  lake  made  with  shelf -lac           .           ,          ^  88 


ib. 


Art.  Page 

117.  Directions  to  make  cinnabar,  or  vermilion     .  .  88 

118.  Another  method  of  making  cinnabar                .  .  89 
119-  An  azure  as  fine  as,  and  which  looks  similiar  to  ultrama- 
rine   ' .90 

120.  The  same  as  practised  in  Germany    .  .  .  ib, 

§  IX.  Preparations  of  the  lapis  lazuli  to  make  tdtramarine, 

121.  1st.  The   general  manipulation  of  the  whole   process  : 

each*  single  part  of  which  shall  be  treated  of  in  parti- 
cular afterwards         .  .  .  •     •  90 

122.  2d.  Directions  to  be  observed  in  the  process  of  prepar- 

ing the  strong  ceinent,  in    wluc.!i    tlie  lapis  lazaii  is  to 

be  incorporated,  to  <iiaw  afterwards  the  azure  from  it         92 

123.  Another  cenietit  of  a  softer  nature       .  .  .  93 

124.  Directions  to  prepare  and  purify' the  liutseed  oil  for  the 

azure  ....... 

125.  The  lye  to  wash  the  ultramarine  with  .  .  94 

126.  Another  sort  of  lye  for  the  same  purpose       .  .  95 

127.  Din  ctions  for  the  choice  of  the  vessels   in  which   the 

most  impure  ultramariiue  is  to  be  wafched,  &c.         .  ib. 

128.  Observations  for   discerning  the   good  or  bad  qual  ties 

of  the  lapis  lazuli,  from  which  you  intend  to  compose 
ultramiirnie    ......  96 

129.  The  method  of  calcining,  and  preparing  the  lapis  lazuli 

in  order  to  grind  it  afterv/ards  .  .  .  ibk 

130.  Directions  for  m akin tc   the   iufuor  fit   to  grind  the    lapis 

with,  in  or';er  to  make  the  ultramarine         .  .  97 

131.  The  metho'l  of  grindii  g  the  lapis  lazuli  on  porphyry,  and 

the  signs  which  attend  it        .  .  .  .  98 

132.  The  method  of  incoriiorating  the  grinded  lapis  lazuU,  with 

either  of  the  strx)ng  or  soft  cements  .  .  99 

13.3.   Drections  for  extracting  the  Hzure  out  of  the  cement  ib. 

134.  Observations  on  the  colouis  of  the  azures  at  their  coming 

out  of  the  cement,  and  the  signs  which  attend  them  100 

135.  The  Avasiiir,^  and    purifying  of  the  azures  after  they  ar-e 

got  out  of  the  cement         •    .  .  .  .  101 

136.  Another  vrav  of  |tur)f\ing  the  same   .  .  .  102 

137.  Another  secret  for  purif\  ins;  azures  .  .  ib. 

138.  How  to  run  the  azures,  after  having  been  thus  cleansed, 

washed  and  purified              ....  ib. 

139.  The  method  of  making  the  green  azure        .            .  ib. 

140.  A  very  fine  method  for  marbling  paper  .  .  103 
14j.  Another  method  .....  ib. 
142.  How  to  prepare  a  transparent  paper  to  chalk  with  104 

CHAP    vn. 

RELATIVE  TO  THE  ART  OF  GILDING. 

1.  The  method  of  gilding  with  size  or  oil  .  .  105 

2.  To  gild  with  size,  or  what  is  called  burnish  gold         .  ib., 

3.  To  gild  with  gold  .  .  .  .  ,109 

4.  Another  to  the  same  purpose  ....  ib. 

5.  A  gold  without  gold  .  .  .  .  ib* 


INDEX. 

Art  Page 

6.  The  preparations  of  the  gum -water    .            .           ,  no 

r.  To  write  in  gold  or  silver         ....  ib. 

8.  To  gilij  on  glasses,  earthern,  (jr  china  wares    .            .  ib. 

9.  To  wnie  or  paint  in  goltl  colour           .             .         •     .  ib. 

10.  To  vviiie  or  paint  in  sliver,  especially  with  a  pencil   .  ib. 

11.  To  wnilen  and  s,l\ei  copper  medals    .             .             .  ib. 

12.  To  write  in  gold  letters  on  pots  or  boxes         .             .  Ill 

13.  To  gild   siker  in  water-gilding    without   the  assistance  of 

mercury        .             .             .             .           -  .             .  ib. 

14.  The   sauce  wh  eh  is  to  be  used  for  colouring  silvej*  plates 

gilt  with  the  above  described  powder          .             .  112 

15.  A  water  which  gilds  copper  and  bronze.  A  secret  very  use- 

ful for  watch  and  pjn-makers           .             .             ,  jb^ 

16.  Another             ......  ib. 

17.  T)  gild  steel  or  iron,  after  being  well  polished            .  ib. 

18.  To  silver  copper  fi.^ures             ....  US 

19.  To  sil\er  or  f;ild  prwter             .             .             .             ,  ib. 

20.  A  composition  to  lay  on  lead,  tin,  or  any  other  metal  in  or- 

der to  hold  fast  the  read    gilt  leaves  of  pev/ter  which 
are  applied  on   it ;  useful  for  gilding  on  high  steeples, 

domes,  &c.                .....  ib. 

21.  To  clean  and  whiten  silver        .'           .             .             •  114 

22.  The  preparation  of  gold  in  shell           ...  ib. 

23.  To  bronze  in  gold  colour  ....  ib. 
24   ?low  to  matt  burnshed  gold     ....  ib. 

25.  How  to  do  ihe  same  to  burnished  silver           .             .  ib. 

26.  The  method  of  appling  gold,  or  silver  in  shell  on  the  wood  115 

27.  To  gild  sandy  gold         .             .             .             .       '      ,  ib, 

28.  The  varnish  fit  to  be  laid  on  gilding  and  silvering        .  ib. 

29.  The  method  of  bronzing  .  .  .  •  .  ib. 
SO.  A  writer  to  gild  iron  with         .             .             .             .  ib, 

31.  To  make  the  fi  e  writing  gold  .             .            .             .  116 

32.  How  to  get  the  gold  or  silver  out  of  gilt  plates           .  ib. 

33.  To  gild  paper  on  the  edge        .            .             .             .  ib. 

34.  To  gild  on  vellum          .....  ib. 

35.  Another  way      .             .             .            .             ,            .  117 

36.  Anotlier  way      .             .             ,             .             T             ,  ib. 

37.  A  gilt  without  gold          .....  ib. 

38.  i  o  ijild  without  gold     .             .             .    '          .             .  ib. 

39.  To  slid  on  calf  and  sheep  skin  ....  ib. 

40.  Gold  and  silver  in  shell              ....  ib, 

41.  To  gild  marble                .            .             .             .             .  118 

42.  To  apply  gold  on  glazed  wares,  crystal,  glass,  china,  &c.  ib. 
43._Matt  gold  in  oil  .....  ib. 
44."To  <lye  any  metal,  or  stone,  gold  colour,  without  gold  ib. 

45.  To  wlnten  copper          .....  ib. 

46.  To  whiten  silver  without  the  assistance  of  fire              .  ib. 

47.  To  whiten  iron  Uke  silver         .            ..           .            .  119 


CHAP.  vni. 

THE  ART  OF  DYING  WOODS,  BONES,  &c. 


1.  Composition  for  red 

2.  Another  red 


119 
ib. 


INDEX. 

Art. 

3.  Another  way     .... 

4.  To  dye  wood  in  a  purplish  colour 

5.  A  blue  puqjle    .... 

6.  Another  .  .  . 

7.  A  blue  for  wood 

8.  A  green    ■  .  .  .  . 

9.  A  yellow  .... 

10.  xViiKthcr  yellow 

11.  Another  tiner  yellow     . 

12.  Jo  dye  wood  ni  a  fine  polished  white     . 

13.  To  dye  in  polished  black 

14.  Another  way      .... 

15.  To  iniitate  ebony 

16.  Aiiodier  way      .  . 

17.  Another  wav     .... 

18.  A  fine  black,  easily  made  .    ,    )    . 

19.  To  dye  wood  s;lver  fashion 

20.  To  dye  in  gold,  silver,  or  copper 

21.  To  give  nut,  or  pear-tree,  what  undulation  you  like 

22.  To  ^imitate  «tlie  root  of  nut-tree 

23.  To  give  a  fine  colour  to  the  cherry-tree  wood 

24.  To  marble  wood 

25.  To  imitate  white  marble 

26.  To  imitate  black  marble 

27.  A  counter-faction  of  coral     . 

28.  To  take  the  impression  of  any  seal 

29.  Another  way 

30.  To  get  birds  with  white  feathers 

31.  To  soften  ivory 
33.   To  dye  ivory  thus  softened 

33.  Another  way  to  soften  ivory 

34.  To  whiten  ivory  which  has  been  spoiled 

35.  To  whiten  green  ivory  :  and  whiten  again  that  which  has 

turned  a  brown  yellow 

36.  To  petrify  wood,  &c. 

37.  To  imitate  tortoiseshell  with  horn 

38.  A  preparation  for  the  tortoiseshell 
39  To  dye  bones,  and  mould  them  in  all  manner  of  shapes 

40.  To  dye  bones  in  black 

41.  To  soften  bones 

42.  I'o  dye  bones  in  green 

43.  A  salt  for  hardening  soft  hones 
44-  To   make  figures,  or  vases,  with  egg  shells 
45.  To  dye  bones  and  ivory  of  a  fine  red 
46    To  make  a  paste  in  imitation  of  black  marble 

47.  To  dye  marble,  or  alabaster,  blue  or  purple 

48.  To  soften  amber,  otherwise  karabe 

49.  To  whiten  ivory  which  has  been  spoiled 

50.  To  whiten  bones         .... 

51.  To  dye  bones  in  green  ... 

32.  To  bronze   wondeii,  plaister,   ivory,  or  other  figui 

that  the  bronze  may  stand  water  forever 

53.  A  water  to  dye  boTies  and  wood 

54.  To  dye  bones  and  ivory  an  emerald  green 

55.  To  whiten  alabaster  and  white  marble 


Page 
119 

ih, 
120 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 
121 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 
122 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib- 
123 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 
124 

ib. 

ih. 
125 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 
126. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 
127 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 
128 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 
129 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

130 

ib. 


INDEX. 

Aii.  Page: 

56.  To  dye  wood  vermilion  colour  .  ,  ,  13© 

57.  To  soften  horn,  so  that  you  may  cast  it  in  a  mould  as  mel- 

ted lead  .  .  '  .  .  ibi 

CHAP.  X. 

SECRETS  RELATIVE   TO  THE  MAKING   OF  CURIOUS  AND 
USEFUL  SORTS  OF  INK. 


1.  A  good  shining  ink      .  .  .  .       -      . 

2.  To  w>  ite  on  grease  and  make  the  ink  run  on  it 

3.  An    ink-stone,  with  which  ink-stands  maybe   made,  and 

with  whicii  you  may  write  wthout  ink 

4.  To  write  wtth  common  clear  water 

5.  A  good  ink  both  for  drawing  and  writing 

6.  To  make  very  good  ink  without  gall-nuts,  -which  will  be 

equally  good  to  wash  drawings  and  plans,  and  strike 
very  neat  lines  with  the  pen. 

7.  An  invisible  ink  .  , 

8.  Another  way 

9.  To  make  good  India  ink 

10.  Red  ink  .  . 

11.  A  green  ink 

12.  To  make  an  ink  which  appears  and  disappears  alternately 

13.  The  in vissible  method  of  conveying  secrets.     1st  ink. 

14.  An  ink  to  write  over  the  other.    2d  ink 

15.  Another  ink  which .  effaces  the   second  and  makes  the 

first  a]>pear.    3d  ink  .  .  .  . 

16.  An  ink  which  will  go  off  in  six  days 

17.  Another  which  you  may  rub  off  when  you  please      , 

18.  Powder  ink  .  . 

19.  An  exceeding  good  writing  ink 

20.  A  gold  colour  ink,  without  gold  . 

21.  Another  way  .  .  • 

22.  To  write  in  silver  without  silver        .  . 

23.  A  good  shining  ink      ..... 

24.  A  blue  ink       .  .  .  .  >  * 

25.  A  yellow  ink     ...... 

26.  A  green  ink  whicli  may  keep  two  years 

27.  A  shining  ink  ..... 

28.  A  way  of  writing  which   will  not  be   visible,   unless  you 

hold  the  paper  to  the  sun,  or  to  the  light  of  a    candle 

29.  A*8ecret  to  revive  old  writings  which  are  almost  defaced 

30.  To  write  in  gold  or  silver  letters 

31.  An  iris  on  white  paper 

32.  A  shining  ink 

33.  A  common  ink 

34.  How  to  prepare  printers  ink 

CHAP.  XI. 


131 
ib. 

ib. 

132 

ib. 


ibi 
133 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 
134 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 
135 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 
13& 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 
137 

ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
ib, 
138 
ib. 
ib. 


SECRETS  RELATIVE  TO  WINE 

1.  To  make  a  vine  produce  a  sweet  wine  .  '    a      ^^^ 

3,  To   make  a  sweet  wine  of  a  very  agreeable  flavor,  and 

besides  very  wholesome       .  ,  •  •  ^P 


INDEX 

Art. 

3.  To  clarify  in  two  days  new  wine  when  muddy 
4  To  make  the  wine  keep   mout,   or  unfermented,  for 
twelve  months  .... 

5.  To  clarify  a  wine  which  is  turned 

6.  To  prevent  wine  from  corrupting 

7.  To  prevent  wine  from  growing  sour,  and  turning  into 

vinegar         ..... 

8.  To  restore  a  wine  turned 

9.  To  restore  wine  fusted  or  tasting  of  the  cask 

10.  To  prevent  wine  from  pricking 

11.  To  make  wine  keep     .  .  .  • 

12.  To  clarify  wine  easily 

13.  To  prevent  wine  from  turning 

14.  To  correct  a  musty  taste  in  wine 

15.  To  correct  a  sour  and  bitter  in  wine  . 

16.  To  restore  a  spoiled  wine 

17.  To  sweeten  a  tart  wine 

18.  To  prevent  tartness  in  wine 

19.  To  heighten  a  wine  in  liquor,  and  give  it  an  agreeable 

flavour  ..... 

20.  To  give  a  most  agreeable  flavour 

21.  How  to  find  out  whether  or  not  there  be  water  mixed  in 

a  cask  of  wine  .  .  »  . 

22.  To  separate  the  water  from  the  wine 

23.  To  ungrease  wine  in  less  than  twenty-four  hours 

24.  To  cure  those  who  are  too  much  addicted  to  wine 

25.  To  recover  a  person  from  intoxication 

26.  To  preserve  wine  good  to  the  last 

27.  To  make  currant  wine 

28.  To  make  excellent  wine  of  apple  cider 

29.  Another  method  .... 

30.  Maple  win*      ..... 

CHAP,  xn- 


Page 


ik* 

140 
ib. 

ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
141 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
ib, 
ib. 
ib. 

142 
ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 
143 

ib. 

ib. 

!b. 
144 

ib. 
145 


CONCERNING  THE  COMPOSITION  OF  VINEGARS. 

J.  To  make  good  wine  ^^negar  in  a  short  time              .  145 

2.  To  change  wine  into  strong  vinegar    •            .            .  ib. 

3.  To  make  very  good  and  strong  vinegar  with  the  worst 

ofwines         ......  ib, 

4.  To  turn  wine  into  vinegar  in  less  than  three  hours    .  146 

5.  To  restore  such  a  wine  to  its  ewn  taste         .           .  ib. 

6.  An  excellent  preparation  of  vinegar  ...  ib. 

7.  To  render  vinegar  alkali          .....  ib. 

8.  To  make  in  one  hour  good  rose  vinegar        .           .  ib. 

9.  Another  method  to  make  such  vinegar  in  an  instant  ib' 

10.  To  operate  the  same  in  one  hour's  time  on  a  larger 

quantity  of  wine        .....  147 

11.  The  receipt  of  the  vinegar  called  the  Grand  ConsUble's 

tn     A  ^'"^g*"^            ....                             .  ib. 

12.  A  secret  to  increase  the  strength  and  shari>ness  of  the 

Tinegar          ...                       ,           .  \h 

13.  Another  way  to  do  the  same             ,           ♦           .  jb. 


F  f 


Art^ 


INDEX 


14.  The  secret  for  making  good  vinegar,  given  by  a  vinegar- 

man  at  Paris  •  •  .  .  . 

15.  To  naake  vinegar  with  water 

16.  To  make  good  vinegar  with  spoiled  wine 

17.  A  dry  portable vinegar,or  the  viaaigreen  en  poudre 

18.  To  make  maple  vinegar  .... 

CHAP.  xni. 


Page 

147 

148 

ib. 

ib. 

ib 


se:rets  relative  to  liquors  and  essential  oils. 

1.  To  make  as  good  wine  as  Spanish  wine            .            .  149 

2.  To  make  the  rossolis              ....  ib. 

3.  To  make  a  rossolis  which  may  serve  as  a  foundation  to 

other  liquors            .....  150 

4.  To  make  Eau  de  Franchipane           ...  ib. 

5.  Orange-flower-water  made  instantly             .            .  ib. 

6.  Muscadine  rose-water            ....  ib. 

7.  To  make  raspberry,  strawberry,  cherry  or  other  waters       151 

8.  Lernonade-water  at  a  cheap  rate                  .             .  ib. 

9.  Apricot-water             .            .            .            .    •       .  ib. 

10.  To  make  exceeding  good  lemonade                .            .  ib. 

11.  To  make  orangeade  the  same  way                 .            .  ib. 

12.  To  make  a  cooling  cinnamon-water              .            .  152 

13.  To  make  coriander-water                  ...  ib. 

14.  Aniseed-water            .....  ib. 

15.  Citron-water               .....  ib. 

16.  Cinnamon-water         .....  ib. 

17.  To  make  cedrat -water          ....  ib. 
J8.  Juniper-water              .....  153 

19.  To  make  good  hydromel,  otherwise  metheglin        .  ib. 

20.  A  light  and  delicate  rossofis,  known  under  the  denomi- 
nation of  populo                 ....  ib. 

Angelic-water             .            .            .            .            »  ib. 

The  cinnamon -water             ....  154 

Strong  aniseed-water,  or  animated  brandy              .  ib. 

To  make  white   ratafia,   called  otherwise  eau-de-Noaiu, 

or  kernel-water                  ....  ib. 

An  exceeding  good  ratafia                ,            .       '     .  ib. 

A  smelling  water        .....  155 

To  make  a  sherbet,  a  Persian  species  of  punch       .  ib. 

To  make  Vin  des  dieux        ....  ib. 

Burnt  wine                  .           .            .            »            .  156 

To  imitate  muscat  wine         ....  ib. 

A  violet-water             .....  ib. 

To  make  a  clear  and  white  hypocras           .            .  ib. 

S3.  To  make  the  true  eau-de-Noiau         .            .            .  ib. 

Si.  An  admirable  oil  of  sugar                 .            .            .  157 

35.  An  admirable  essence  of  red  sugar               .            .  ib. 

36.  Another  oil  of  sugar,  excessively  good           .            .  ib. 

37.  To  extract  the  essential  oil  from  any  flower            .  158 

38.  Essence  of  jessamme,  roses  and  other  flowers           .  ib. 

39.  The  oil  of  cinnamon              ....  ib. 

40.  To  draw  the  essential  oil  of  roses                 .            •  »b. 

41.  An  essence  of  jessamine        ....  159 
\2,  Essence  of  ambergris            ,           .           .          -  v>' 


21. 
22. 
23. 
24. 

25. 
26. 
37. 


31. 

S2. 


INDEX. 

Art.  Pag:e 

43.  Essence  of  capons  and  other  fowls  .  IL'J 

44.  Virginal  milk  .  .  .  .  .  ib. 

45.  How  to  colour  any  sort  of  liquor  .  .  160 

46.  A  ladies  fine^  rouge,  not  at  all   hurtful  to  their  skin  like 

other  rouges,   wherein  there  always  enters  a  mixture 

of  lead  or  quicksilver  ....  ib. 

47.  A  fine  smelling  water  at  a  small  expenee  .  ib. 

48.  To  make  an  imitation  of  coffee  ...  ib. 

49.  Another  way  .....  161 

50.  Directions  for  preparing  the  true  coffee       .  .  ib. 

51.  A  receipt  for  making  of  chocolate      .  .  .  162 

CHAP.  XIV. 
.SECRETS  RELATIVE  TO  THE  CONFECTIONARY  BUSINESS. 

1.  Raspberry  syrup        .  .  .  .  .  163 

2.  Apricot  syrup  ...  .  .  .  jb. 

3.  The  verjus  syrup       •  .  .  .  .  ib. 
4  A   general   manner  of  making  syrups  applicable  to  most 

sorts  of  syiups,  especially  currai its  .  .  Jb, 

5.  To  make  liquid  currant  jam  .  .  .  164 

6.  To  make  the  same  with  cherries      ...  ib. 

7.  Another  way  to  presene  cheiries    ...  ib. 

8.  To  make  the  liquid  raspberry  jam     .  .  .  165 

9.  To  preserve  apricots  ....  Jb. 

10.  How  to  make  a  dry  preserve  of  them  .  .  ib. 

11.  To  preserve  green  apricots  .  .  .  i66 

12.  To  make  the  cotignac  liquid              ...  jb. 
13    To  preserve  quinces  in  red                 .             ,            ,  iqj 

14.  To  do  the  same  in  white        ....  jb, 

15.  To  preserve  roussflet,  muscadine,  and  other  pears  ib. 

16.  A  preserve  of  green  almonds  .  .  .  jgg 

17.  T©  make  dry  poitable  cherries         .  .  .  if,^ 

18.  To  njake  an  apricot,  or  peach  jam                 .             ,  jb, 
l'.>.    An  apricot  jam,  after  tlie  French  way         .             .  i^q 

20.  To  make  rasjjberry,  currant    and  cherry  jam         .  ib. 

21.  To  make  a  good  currant  jelly  .  .  .  j|j* 

22.  To  make  an  apple  jelly         ....  j^q 

23.  A   conserve   with    raspings   of  Portugal  oranges  and    le- 

mons, conjointly  or  separately       ...  j|j 

24.  To   whiten  cherries,  currants,  raspberries,  grapes,  straw- 

berries, and  such  like  fruits  ...  jf,^ 

35    To  make  savoy  biscuits  ....  Jb' 


ib. 


To  make  bitter  almonds  biscuits 

27.  How  to  preserve  orange  peels  all  the  year,  but  especially 

in  May                    .....  i/j 

28.  To  make  a  paste  with  whatever  fruit  it  may  be       .  ib. 

29.  GenoH  biscuits             .             .             .              .  -          .  jj,' 

30.  The  Queen's  cakes  or  biscuits           .            .            .  172 

31.  Macaroons                  .....  Jb 

32.  Particular  method  of  making  cakes              •             .  i|ij[ 

33.  A  cream  Avhich  cuts  as  a  rice  pudding           ,             ,  i^] 

34.  To  make  an  exceeding  good  boiled  cream                 .  173- 

35.  A  method  of  making  cakes  exceeding  fine               .  ib. 


INDEXr 
CHAP.  XV. 

SECRETS  RELATIVE  TO  THE  ART  OF  PREPARIKG  SNUFF. 

Art  Page 

1.  How  to  reduce  tobacco  into  powder  .  .  174 

2.  How  to  purge  snuft'  and  prepare  it  for  admitting  of  odours     ib. 

3.  How  to  perfume  snuff  wiih  flowers     .  .  .  175 

4.  Snuff  of  raille-fleurs       .  .  .  .  •  ib. 

5.  The  odoring  snuff,  after  the  method  praticed  at  Rome  ib. 
Q.  Amber  snuff      ......  ib, 

7.  The  odoring  snuff,  Mallhese  fashion   ...  ib. 

8.  The  true  Maltliese  method  of  preparing  perfumed  snuff  176 

9.  The  Spanish  method  of  preparing  iierfumed  snuff     .  ib. 

CHAP.  XVI. 

SECRETS  OF  TAKING  OUT  SPOTS  AND  STAINS. 

1.  To  take  off  iron  moulds  from  linen        .  .  .  177 

2.  To  take  off  carriage  wheel  grease  from  clothes  ib. 

3.  Against  piss  spots  .....  ib. 

4.  To  take  off  spots,  from  cl./.h  of  any  colour      .  .  ib. 

5.  A  receipt  against  all  sorts  of  spots  from  stuffs  .  ib. 

6.  Against  oil  spots  .....  ib. 

7.  A  washing  ball  to  take  off  spots  .  .  .  178 

8.  To  take  out  pitch  and  turpentine  spots  .  .  ib. 

9.  Against  ink  spots  whether  on  cloth  or  linen     .  .  ib. 

10.  Another  simple  remedy  against  ink  when  just  spilled  ib. 

11.  Against  oil  spots  on  satin,  silk,  stuff,  or  paper  .  179 
If.  A  preparation  of  balls  against  spots  ...  ib. 
13.  For  silk  .  .  .  _.  .  .  ib. 
l4'  To  restore  gold  and  silver  laces  to  their  former  beauty  ib. 

15.  To  restoj-e  turkey  carpets  to  their  first  bloom  .  ib. 

16.  To  make   tapestries  resume  their   first   brightness   when 

their  colours  have  been  tarnished  and  spoiled         .  180 

17.  To  take  off  spots  of  wax,  from  velvet  of  any  colour  except 

the  crimson  ......  ib. 

18.  To  take  tlie  same  from  silks  and  camblet  .  .  ib. 
ID.  To  wash  a  gold  or  silver,  or  silk  embroidery,  or  any    stuff 

whatever,  and  render  it  like  new   .  .  .  ib. 

20.  To  take  the  spots  from  silk  and  woUen  stuffs   .  .  ib. 

21.  To  colour  velvet  in  red  ....  181 

22.  To  revive  the  colour  of  a  cloth  .  .  .  ib. 

23.  To  take  the  si)ois  off  from  a  white  cloth        .  .  ib. 

24.  To  take  off  the  spots  from  crimson  and  other  velvets  ib. 

25.  To  take  off  an  Qil  spot  from  cloth  .  .  .  182 

26.  A  composition  of  soap  to  take  of  all  sorts  of  spots        .  ib. 

27.  To  take  the  spots  from  a  white  silk  or  crimson  velvet  ib. 

CHAP.  xvn. 

ESSAYSX)N  VARIOUS  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

1.  Avery  sti'ong glue         =  .  ,  ...  183 

2:  Another  glue  ,  ,  ,  .  -  ib. 


INDEX.  - 

Art, 

3.  A  Parchment  glue        .  .  •  • 

4.  A  strong  paste  .  •  •  • 

5.  Oa  the  nianufactoring  of  morocco 

6.  Another  process  of  raanufactoring  moroftco  . 

7.  On  the  use  of  acids  in  bleac!>ing 

8.  An  excellent  dje,  the  basis  of  many  colours    . 

9.  Discovery  for  dyeing  cotton  and  linen,  in  scarlet,  crimson 

and  other  colours     •  .  .  .  . 

10.  Simple  method  of  trying  the  quality  of  gun-powder 

11.  On  dressing  sheep  skins 

12.  To  prevent  worms  injuring  hooks 

13.  Another  method,  by  paste  made  of  chesnuts, 

14.  A  j)reperation  for  the  hair 

15.  On  making  hair  powder  . 

16.  To  make  London  court  plaister 

17.  Chinese  method  of  making  cloth,  &c.  water  proof 

18.  To  make  verdigrease 

19.  To  make  vitriol 

20.  To  make  aquafortis      .  .  .  . 

21.  To  make  Cerman  black 

22.  To  make  ivory  black    .... 

23.  To  make  bone  Wack    .... 

24.  To  make  Spanish  black 

25.  To  nriake  lamp  black    .... 

26.  To  make  currier's  black 

27.  A  preparatioa  for  sole  leather 


Page 
184- 
ib. 
185 
189 
190 
ib. 

191 
192 

ib. 

ib. 
193 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 
194 

ib, 
195 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ip. 

ib. 
196 

ib. 


CHAP.  xvm. 


ESSAYS  ON  AGRICULTURE,  AND  RURAL  ECONOMY. 


Preparing  the  land  for  wheat                .            .            .  197 

Pre|)aring  of  the  seed  wheat                  ...  ib. 

On  tiie  culture  of  wht  at           ....  198 

On  the  gathei'ing  of  wheat       ....  ib. 

On  preparing  the  seed  corn     ....  199 

Another  method           .....  ib. 

Observations  on  increasing  the  quantity  of  Indian  corn,  by 

selecting  the  seed      .....  ib. 

On  the  advantages  of  steeping  seed  barley     .            .  ib. 
On  the  advautHges  of  preparing   seed  oats  with  plaister  of 

paris               ......  200 

On  the  culture  of  oafs  .....  201 

V>n  the  culture  of  potatoes       ....  202 

To  increase  your  variety  of  potatoes,  and  obtain  some  ex- 
cellent kinds               .....  ib. 

To  jireserve  turnips  from  insects        ...  ib. 

On  the  culture  of  turnips.    Anotlier  method             .  203 

On  the  culture  of  carrots         ....  204 

European  method  of  cultivating  hops  .            .            ►  ib. 

On  the  culture  of  flax               .            .            .            .  206 

Further  remarks  on  the  culture  of  flax           .            .  213 

On  the  culture  of  hemp            .            •             .             .  214 
Method  of  preventing  the  smut  in  grain,  and  which  may 

possibly  be  efficaaious  in  destroying  the  Hessiap  fly '  217 


Page 


FNTDEX. 

Art. 

21  On  the  Hessian  fly        ....            .  217 

22.  Method  of  destroying  or  preventing  the  Hessian  fly  218 

23.  On  the  culture  of  tobacco  as  practised  in  Maryland  ib. 

24-  On  the  benefit  of  salt  in  agricuhure     .             .             ,  219 

25-  On  the  advantages  of  plaister  of  Paris               .             .  ib. 

26-  Method  of  improving  old,  ground,  to  make  it  suitable  for 

the  culture  of  flax                •            .            .            .  220 

27.  On  clover           ......  221 

28.  On  the  culture  of  the  gooseberry         ...  ib. 
£J.   Remarks  on  pruuning  fruit  trees         .             .             .  222 

30.  Method  of  preventing  the  destruction  of  apple  trees  by 

canker  worms           .....  223 

Remarks  on  the  culture  of  fruit  tree  .  .  224 
Pensylvania  method  of  preventing  the  worm  injuring 

peach  trees   ,             .             .             .             .             .  225 

31.  On  thorn  hedges             .             .             •             .             ,  ib. 

32.  On  the  cultivation  of  the  chesnut  tree             .             .  227 

33.  Remarks  on  the  culture  of  the  oak      .             .             .  230 

34.  On  the  cultivation  of  the  poplar  tree                 .             .  231 

35.  Method  of  destroying  catterpillars  upon  trees             .  232 

36.  A  certain  cure  tor  the  measela  in  swine         .            .  ib. 

CHAP.  XIX. 

ESSAYS  IN  DOfvIESTIC  ECONOMY. 

1.  To  make  cyder  that  will  keep  any  length  of  time,  with* 

out  the  trouble  of  frequently  drawing  off"  .             .  233 

2.  To  make  tnead              .....  ib. 

3.  An  approved  method  of  preserving  the  fineflavor  of  but- 

ter, and  of  preventing  its  growing  rancid     .           ».  ib, 

4.  Another  excellent  coniposition  for  presening  butter  ib. 

5.  On  salting  beef                ....              .         ,  234 

6.  Mctlmd  of  curing  hams,  to  resemble  those  of  Westphalia  ib. 

7.  M'lhoil  of  purifying  tallow,  to  make  candles             .  234 

8.  To  pres'vve  parsnips  and  various  other  roots               .  235 

9.  Chinese  manner  of  curing  Genslng      ...  ib. 

10.  On  the  culture  and  curing  of  Gensing.  Another  way  236 

11.  On  the  manufactory  of  kelp                  .             .             .  ib. 

12.  On  making  ba;  ilia           .....  ib. 

13.  Method   of  making  pearl-ashes  as  practised  in  Hungary 

and  Poland                                       .            ,            ;    •  ib. 

CHAP.   XX. 

MEDICAL  RECEIPTS,  ikc. 

1.  The  most  easy  and  certain  method  of  presen^ng  men  and 

animals  who  have  been  bitten  by  mad  ci'eatures,  from  be- 
ing seized  with  the  disorder  usually    called   the  canine 

madness,  r)r  hydrophobia  ....  24d 

2.  Recipe  for  the  cure  nf  the  scurvy,  leprosy,  &c           .  241 

3.  The  negro  Caesar's  cure  for  poison,  for  discovering  which, 

the  assembly  of  South  Carolina  perchased  his  freedom, 

and  give  him  an  anuity  of  an  hundred  pound        .  ih.. 


INDEX. 

Art.  Page 

4.  Caesar's  cure  for  tlie  bite  of  a  rattle-snake    .              .  242 

5.  On  the  cultivation  of  the  poppy-plant,  and  the  method  of 

prncuring  opium       .....  ib. 

6.  Receipe  for  the  whopping  cough          .            .            ,  243 

7.  Receipt  for  curing  weak  and  weeping  eyes     .            .  244 

8.  A  i-eceipt  for  a  cold      .....  ib, 

CHAP.   XXI. 

SECRETS  ENTERTAINING  AND  USEFUL. 

1.  To  whiten  wax              .            .....  224 

2   Another  way  of  whitening  wax  in  large  manufactories  245 

S.   To  make  mutton  suit  candles,  in  imitation  of  wax  candles  246 

4.  To  make  soap               .            .            •            .            .  ib. 

5.  To  prevent  ony  thing  from  burning  in  the  fire           .  ib. 

6.  To  prevent  burning  one's  fingers  in  melted  lead         .  247 

7.  A  fire  which  cannot  be  extinguished  by  water            .  ib. 

8.  To  prevent  the  oil  of  a  lamp  from  smoaking               .  ib. 

9.  To  make  an  incombustible  wick  ...  ib. 

10.  A  stone  which  is  inflammable  with  water         .  .  ib. 

11.  A  receipt  to  make  the  true  phosphorus,  extracted  from 

urine,  and  which  is  inflammable  by  theair,  so  that  pieces 
of  wood  may  be  lighted  by  it  .  «  .  248 

12.  Fruit.  To  preserve  trees  from  being  injured  by  worins^cat- 

erpillars,  &c.  .....  249 

13.  To  kill  all  sorts  of  worms         ....  ib. 

14.  To  kill  maggots  in  sheep         ...  .  .  ib. 

On  DISTILUNG.                 ,            .           .  .250 

On  BREWING j  305 


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